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Photographic 

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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


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empreinte. 


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whichever  applies. 


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dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
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symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 


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right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  etre 
film^s  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diff6rents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  gtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  cliche,  il  est  film^  d  partir 
de  Tangle  sup^rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  n^cessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  m§thode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

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Birds  of  New  England 


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ADJACENT   STATES: 

OONTAINTNO  DB80RIPTT0N8  Of  TUB  BIRDS  OF    NBW   HNOI-*m),   AND   ADJOIN- 

ING  8TATK8   AND  PROVINCES,  AKRANMKD  BY  A   LONO-APPHOVBD 

OLA88IfIOATION    AND    NOMKNCLATORB  i 

TOUKTHia    WITH 

A  HISTORY  or  TIIKIR  HABITS,  TIMK8  OF    ARRIVAL    AND    DHPARTXIRl,  TUMB 

DI8TKIBUTI0N,  FOOD,  80N0,  TIMB  OF  BRBEDING,  AND  A 

CAREFUL  AND  ACOUHATK  DIS8CHIPT10N  OF 

TtUUa    NK8T8    AND    BOOS  i 


■wvm 


^ 


lUnstratfons  of  mans  i^ttitt  of  tijr  ISirOa,  anti  ncturstt  lisnrts 

of  tfjtit  Eflfii. 


.^^^ 


By  EDWARD  At'^AMUELS, 

OCHATOK  09  WJOUXJY  IK  THB  MABBAOHUBrTTB  iTATB  OABIRBT. 


WITH  AN  APPENDIX  CONTAINING  SUPPLEMENTAHY  NOTES. 


rariH  BDITIOK,  BITIBXD  AHD  IXULROBD. 


BOSTON: 
NOYES,  HOLMES,  AND    COMPANY, 

11/,  WAsmnaxoN  Strkkt. 
1870. 


^. 


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'^^".^ 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1887,  by 
Edward  A.  Samuels, 
m  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  District  of  Massachusetts. 


0  A  ^^^  ft"^ 


CAMBRIDOB: 

•TKBEOTTPED      AND      PRINTED      BY 

JOHN    WlbSO-N    AND    BOH. 


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PREFACE. 


busetta. 


t 


In  presenting  this  volume  to  the  public,  I  would  say  tha 
my  chief  aim  in  ita  preparation  has  been  to  supply  the  great 
demand  for  some  work  that  might  be  accessible  to  all,  both 
in  consequence  of  its  moderate  price  and  its  plain,  uutech- 

nical  language.  .  ,  ,  ^    „„, 

The  want  of  such  a  volume  is  keenly  appreciated  by  our 
students  in  this  interesting  branch  of  natural  hi.tory ;  and 
as  all  the  editions  of  the  valuable  and  popular  works  of 
Wilson  and  Nuttall  are  out  of  print,  it  has  long  been 
almost  entirely  unsupplied. 

i  have  been  able,  from  my  own  observations,  to  correct 
some  important  errors  that  have  been  published  as  to 
the  breeding  habits  of  different  species,  and  have  added, 
probably,  a  few  new  facts  to  our  knowledge  respecting 
those  of  others ;  but  I  must  apologize  for  being  obhged,  m 
a  great  many  cases,  to  use  the  observations  of  others  for 
facts  which  I  have  had  no   opportunity  of  ascertammg 

Tim  greatly  indebted  to  Professor  Spencer  F.  Baird,  of 
Washington,  for  his  generous  permission  to  use  the  descnp. 
tions  of  the  birds  given  by  him  in  the  ninth  vo  ume  of 


] 


|t*'TyTTSClBB3S3EBS!'iM5EMe^ 


IV 


PREFACE. 


the  Pacific  Railroad  Reports,  and  for  some  valuable  sped 
mens  with  which  he  furnished  me  for  descriptions  and 
figures.  I  also  take  this  occasion  to  return  my  thanks  to 
Hon.  James  S.  Grennell,  of  Washington,  and  J.  P.  Norris, 
of  Philadelphia,  for  the  use  of  many  valuable  cuts  of  birds  ; 
and  to  George  A.  Boardman,  Esq.,  of  Milltown,  Me.,  John 
Krider,  of  Pliiladelphia,  Thure  Kumlien,  of  Albion,  Wis., 
J.  A.  Allen,  of  Springfield,  Mass.,  William  Couper,  of 
Quebec,  Lower  Canada,  Henry  A.  Purdie,  of  Boston,  and 
J.  G.  Rich,  of  Upton,  Me.,  for  many  interesting  specimens, 
and  much  valuable  information. 

Great  credit  is  due  Messrs.  M.  M.  Tidd  and  Nathan 
Brown,  of  Boston,  for  the  careful  and  accurate  manner 
in  which  they  have  illustrated  the  eggs;  subjects,  as  is 
well  known,  exceedingly  difficult  to  figure,  particularly  on 
wood. 

To  Messrs.  John  Wilson  &  Son,  of  Cambridge,  Mass.,  my 
grateful  acknowledgments  are  made  for  their  indefatigable 
efforts  to  secure  an  elegant  and  perfect  typographical  exe- 
cution. 

The  imperfections  and  shortcomings  in  the  present  work 
are  too  apparent ;  but  they  are,  in  most  cases,  unavoidable, 
because  of  the  very  meagre  knowledge  that  we  have  of 
the  habits  of  many  of  our  birds,  and  the  confusion  that 
exists  in  the  nomenclature,  in  descriptions,  and  observations 
oonceming  them  in  the  works  of  many  authors. 


E.    A,    8. 


V 


^ 


Boston,  March  26, 1867. 


t 


CONTENTS. 


Tam 
4 

Chaoaotkristics  op  OBDKUa 

ORDER  I.-RAPT0RE8,  ROBBERS. 

7 

Family  Falconidse,  Falcons 

Sub-Family  Falconinse,  Falcons  proper ^^ 

AccipitrinsB,  Hawks " 

Butooninse,  Buzzard-Hawks 

Aquilinse,  Eagles ^^ 

Family  Strigidse,  Owls ^^ 

Sub-Family  BuboninsB,  Horned  Owls _ 

Syrninse,  Gray  Owls 

Nycteininffi,  Day  Owls 

ORDER  n.  — SCANSORES,  CLIMBERS. 

83 
Family  Cuculidse,  Cuckoos ^^ 

Ficidse,  Woodpeckers 

ORDER  HI.— INSESSORES,  PERCHERS. 

.     .     110 
Sub-Order  Strisores 

FamUy  Trochilidae,  Humming-Birds ^^^ 

Cypselidse,  Swifts • 

Caprimulgidse,  Goat-Suckers |^^ 

Sub-Order  Clamatores,  Screamers "    '     125 

Family  Alcedinidffl,  Kingfishers 

Coloptcridae,  Flycatchers " 

Sub-Family  Tyranninas,  Tyrant  Flycatchers 

Sub-Order  Oscines,  Singers • ^^^ 

Family  Turdidse,  Thrushes 

Sub-Family  Miminae,  Mocking-Birds ^^^ 

Family  Saxicolidie,  Eock-Inhabiters •     • 


1^ 


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Vi  CONTENTS. 

PAoa 

Family  Sylviidffi,  Wood-Inhabiters 178 

raridce,  Titmice ;     •     •  ^^^ 

Sub-Family  Sittinas,  Nuthatches 186 

Family  Certhiadie,  Creepers 190 

Troglodytidse,  Wrens 192 

Sylvicolida,  Warblers 199 

Sub-Family  MotacillinBO,  Wagtails 199 

Sylvicolinae,  Wood-Warblers 201 

Tanagrinas,  Tanagers •  260 

Family  Hirundinidae,  Swallows 254 

Bombycillidee,  Chatterers 264 

Laniidse,  Shrik. 268 

Sub-Family  Laniinae,  Shriices  proper 268 

VireonintB,  Vireos 270 

Family  Alaudidee,  Skylarks 280 

Fringillidffi,  Seed-Eaters 283 

Sub-Family  Coccothraustinse,  Finches 288 

Spizellinse,  Sparrows ....'...  301 

Passerellinse,  Buntings 325 

Family  Icteridae 836 

Sub-Family  Agelaeinae,  Starlings 836 

Icterinffi,  Orioles 346 

Quiscalinae,  Blackbirds 350 

Family  Corvidoe,  Crows • 366 

Sub-Family  Corvinae,  Crows  proper 856 

Garrulinae,  Jays 864 

ORDER  IV.— RASORES,  SCRATCHERS. 

Sub-Order  Columbse 873 

Family  Columbidte,  Doves 878 

Sub-Order  GallinoB,  Game-Birds 878 

Family  Tetraonidas,  Grouse 878 

Perrlicidse,  Partridges 898 

ORDER  v.  — GRALLATORES,  WADERS. 

Sub-Order  Herodiones 898 

Family  Ardeidse,  Herons ' 398 

Sub-Order  Grallte,  Shore-Birds 412 

Family  Charadridae,  Plovers 418 

Hffiraatopodidce,  Oyster-Catchers <»  424 

llecurviroslridee,  Avosets 428 


.1 


Paob 
178 
182 
186 
190 
192 
199 
199 
201 
260 
254 
264 
268 
268 
270 
280 
283 
283 
301 
325 
336 
836 
346 
360 
366 
366 
864 


373 
373 
378 
378 
393 


898 
398 
412 
418 
424 
428 


CONTENTS.  ^" 

Paqb 

430 
Family  Phalaropodidas,  PhalarcpeB *    ^^^ 

ScolopacidsB,  Snipes ^^ 

Sub-family  Tringinas,  Simdpipers       •     •     • ^^^ 

Sub-Family  Totauinu;,  Silts ' ^^^ 

Family  Paludicolffl.     Swamp  Inbabitcrs ^^^ 

Sub-Family  Rallinse,  Rails 

ORDER  VI.-NATATORES,  SWIMMERS. 

480 
Sub-Order  Anseres ^^ 

Family  Anatidse .g^ 

Sub-Family  Cygninse,  Swans 

AnserinsB,  Geese ^ 

Anatinse,  River-Ducks '''''''     503 

Fuligulinse,  Sea-Ducks ^ 

Merginse,  Sheldrakes 

Family  Sulidee,  Gannets 

Graculidas,  Cormorants 

LaridoB,  Gulls ' 

Sub-Family  Lestridinas,  Skua-Gulls 

Larinffi,  Gulls  proper 

Sterninse,  Terns 

Sub-Order  Gavise ^^2 

Family  Procellaridse,  Petrels 

Colymbidse,  Divers '555 

Sub-Family  Colymbinee,  Loons 

PodicipinsB,  Grebes ' 

Family  Aleidffl ^g^ 

Sub-Family  Alcinse,  Auks 

ITrinsB,  Guillemots 

576 

Appendix 

-.  586 

Index  of  Common  Names 

XT       o  .....    689 

Index  of  Scientific  JNames 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND    OOLOGY. 


INTRODUCTION. 

AS  I  have  generally  adopted,  in  the  present  volume,  the 
system  of  .classification,  and  the  nomenclature,  &c., 
presented  by  Professor  Baird  in  his  report  on  the  Birds  of 
North  America,  I  will  state  here,  that  I  have  given,  so  far 
as  possible,  his  own  remarks  in  the  explanations  of  the 
•characteristics  of  the  different  orders,  families,  genera,  &c., 
because  they  are  expressed  in  the  most  concise  and  com- 
prehensive language  possible.  I  have  also  given  the  same 
descriptions  of  the  species  as  those  contained  in  the  above- 
mentioned  report,  because,  being  made  from  a  much  greater 
number  of  specimens  than  I  could  possibly  have  access 
to,  they  are  certainly  better  than  I  could  present  from 
my  own  observations.  The  descriptions  of  the  character- 
istics of  the  JRaptores,  the  Gralloe,  and  the  Alcidce,  are  by 
John  Cassin,  of  Philadelphia;  those  of  the  Longipmnea 
Totipalmes  and  Colymbidce  were  written  by  Mr.  George  N. 
Lawrence,  of  New  York;  those  of  the  other  birds  were 
prepared  by  Professor  Spencer  F.  Baird,  of  the  Smithsonian 
Institute. 
Tn  order  that  the  descriptions  of  the  birds  in  the  foUow- 

[11 


-iimmimmas^' 


2  INTRODUCTION. 

iiig  pages  may  bo  perfectly  understood,  I  give  the  subjoined 
cuts,  illustrating  and  explaining  them :  — 


A  represents  tho  primary  quills,  usually  called  primaries. 

B  represents  the  secondary  quills,  usually  called  secondaries. 

C  spurious  wing. 

D  wing  coverts. 

£  tertiary  quills,  usually  >*4illed  tertiaries. 

F  represents  the  throat. 

G  is  the  upper  part  of  the  thiOuc,  called  the  jugulum. 

H  is  the  bill  or  beak :  this  is  divided  into  two  parts,  called  the  upper 

and  lower  mandibles. 
I  is  the  frons,  or  forehead:  feathers  at  this  point  are  called  frontal 

feathers. 
J  is  the  crown :  feathers  here  are  called  coronal  feathers,  and  occipital. 
K  represents  the  scapular  feathers. 

L  is  the  back :  feathers  here  are  sometimes  called  interscapular. 
M  represents  the  tarsus :  called  shank  or  leg  sometimes. 
N  is  the  abdomen. 
O  is  the  rump. 

P  shows  the  upper  tail  coverts. 
Q  indicates  the  position  of  the  lower  tail  coverts. 


joined 


INTRODUCTION. 

R  shows  on  tho  bill  the  culmcn,  or  crown,  of  the 

upper  mandible. 
S  is  tho  naked  skin  at  tho  base  of  the  bill, 

called  the  cere. 
T  shows  tho  position  of  the  lores  between  tlio 

eyo  and  bill, 
U  indicates  tho  gape,  tho  angle  at  the  junction  of  the  upjwT  and  lower 

mandibles :  the  feathers  in  this  locality  are  called  rictal. 
V  is  tho  cominissuro,  or  the  folding  edges  of  the  mandibles. 

In  addition  to  these  parts,  tlioro  are  the  flanks  or  sides 
of  tho  bird  ;  tho  poctus,  or  breast ;  the  flexure,  or  bend  of 
tiie  wing ;  the  iris,  or  irides,  tho  colored  circle  which  sur- 
rounds the  pupil  of  the  eye ;  and  tho  toes  and  tibia :  tho 
former  are  sometimes  palmated,  as  with  the  swimmers,  or 
natatores ;  and  the  latter  is  that  portion  next  above  the 
tarsus  on  the  leg. 


upper 
frontal 
cipital. 


{ 


«fMl 


MP 


SYNOPSIS 


CHARACTERISTICS  OP  NORTH-AMERICAN  BIRDS. 


THE  following  synopsis  of  the  orders  of  birds,  taken 
partly  from  Keyserling  and  Blasius,  will  serve  to  illus- 
trate the  characteristics  of  the  higher  groups  in  American 
Ornithology :  — 

A.  —  Hind  Toe  on  the  same  Level  with  the  Anterior 

ONi:8. 

a.  Posterior  face  or  the  sides  of  the  tarsus  more  or  less  reticu- 
lated, granulated,  or  with  scales  more  numerous  or  smaller  than 
in  front ;  sometimes  naked.  Anterior  face  of  the  tarsus  never  in 
one  unbroken  plate.     Larynx  without  complex  vocal  muscles. 

Order  L  Raftores.  —  Base  of  the  upper  mandible  with  a 
soft  skin  or  cere.  Upper  mandible  compressed ;  its  point  curving 
down  over  that  of  the  lower,  forming  a  strong,  sharp  hook.  Claws 
generally  retractile.  Toes,  never  two  behind.  Birds  usually  of 
large  size  and  of  powerful  frame,  embracing  the  so-called  birds 
of  prey. 

Order  IL  Scansobes.  —  Toes  in  pairs  ;  two  in  front  and  two 
behind :  the  outer  anterior  being  usually  directed  backwards ;  the 
inner,  in  Trogonidce.    Tail-feathers  eight  to  twelve. 

Order  IIL  Strisores.  —  Toes  either  three  anterior  and  one 
behind  (or  lateral),  or  four  anterior :  the  hinder  one  is,  however, 
usually  versatile,  or  capable  of  direction  more  or  less  laterally  for- 
ward. Tail-feathers  never  more  than  ten.  Primaries  always  ten ; 
the  first,  long. 
[4] 


n 


1 


1 


RDS. 


taken 
illus- 
iricau 

RIOB 

•eticu- 
r  than 
ver  in 

rith  a 
irving 
Gaws 
llyof 
bii-ds 

i  two 

i;  the 

d  one 
?ever, 
y  for- 
3  ten; 


BYNOPrilS  OF  TUB  5 

Order  TV.  Clamatohes.  —  Toc«,  three  anterior  and  one  pos- 
terior (not  versfttiie).  Primaries  always  ton ;  iho  first  nearly  as 
long  as  the  second.     Tail-feathers  usually  twelve. 

b.  Anterior  face  of  the  tarsus  in  one  continuous  plate,  or  divided 
transversely  into  large  quadrate  scales.  Plates  on  cither  tho  pos- 
terior surface  of  tho  tarsus  or  the  sides,  without  subdivisions,  never 
both  divided  together:  when  divided,  the  divisions  correspond 
with  tho  anterior  ones.  Larynx  with  peculiar  complex  singing 
muscles. 

Order  V.  Oscines.  —  Toes,  three  anterior,  one  posterior. 
Primaries,  either  nine  only ;  or,  if  ten,  the  first  usually  short  vr 
spurious. 

B.  —  Hind  Toe  raised  above  the  Level  or  the  Rest. 

Order  VL  Rasobes.  —  Nostrils  arched  over  by  an  incumbent 
thick,  fleshy  valve.  Bill  not  longer  than  tho  head,  obtuse  anteri- 
orly.   Nails  broad,  obtusely  rounded. 

Order  VIL  Grallatores.  —  Legs  lengthened,  adapted  for 
walking,  naked  above  the  knee.  Nostrils  naked.  Thighs  usually 
quite  free  from  the  body.  Toes  not  connected  by  a  membrane,  or 
for  a  short  distance  only ;  sometimes  with  a  lobed  margin. 

Order  VIII.  Natatores.  —  Adapted  for  swimming.  Legs 
generally  short.  Toes  united  by  a  continuous  membrane.  Thighs 
mostly  buried  in  the  muscles  of  the  body. 


CHABACTEIU8TICK  OP  NOBTH-AMERICAN   UlttDS. 


ORDER  I.  —  RAITORES.    Rodders. 

The  poculiarities  already  given  of  tlio  order  Raj)t>rea  aio 
sufiicient  to  dofiiio  It  among  the  others  mentioned,  although 
many  atWitional  features  might  be  named.  The  order  em- 
braces tlireo  families,  which  are  characterized  by  Kcyserling 
and  Blosius  as  follows :  — 

A.  —  DiuRRAL  Birds  of  Pret. 

Eyes  lateral,  with  Inshes,  surrounded  by  a  naked  or  woolly  orbi- 
tal circle ;  the  feathers  above,  below,  and  behind  the  eyes  directeil 
backwards,  as  on  the  rest  of  the  liead  ;  anterior  to  the  eye,  the  lore 
imperfectly  clothed  with  a  radiating  star  of  bristles,  or  with  scalo- 
hke  feathers.  Tlie  inner  toe  without  the  nail,  shorter,  or  as  long 
as  the  outer.     Nostrils  opening  in  the  cere. 

VuLTURiDJK.  —  Bill  contracted  or  indented  on  the  anterior 
border  of  the  cere,  so  that  the  culmen  is  bow-shaped,  or  ascending 
anterior  to  it.  Eyes  lying  on  a  level  with  the  sides  of  the  head. 
Head  sparsely  covered  with  downy  feathers  only,  or  partially 
naked.  Claws  weak,  rather  slender,  and  only  moderately  curved ; 
the  tarsi  and  bases  of  the  toes  reticulated. 

FalconidjE.  —  The  bill  not  contracted,  nor  the  culmen  ascend- 
ing anterior  to  the  cere.  Eyes  sunken.  The  head  completely 
covered  with  compact,  perfect  feathers.     Claws  strong. 


B.  —  NOCTDRNAL   BiKDS    OF   PrET. 

STBioiDiE.  —  Eyes  directed  forwards ;  more  or  less  completely 
surrounded  by  a  crown  of  radiating  bristly  feathers.  Lores  and 
base  of  bill  densely  covered  with  bristly  feathers  directed  forwards. 
The  nostrils  opening  on  the  anterior  edge  of  the  cere.  The  inner 
toe  without  its  claw  longer  than  the  outer,  which  is  versatile.  A 
crown  of  peculiarly  formed  feathers  on  ■  s'd  of  the  head  and 
above  the  thrort.  Head  fully  feather«vi.  "j.  lage  very  f'oft 
and  downy. 


UHEAT-FOOTED    lUtVK. 


lore 


Family    FALCON  I  DTE. 

8uh-Fatnihj  FAr,coNiN/«,     The  Fam'ons, 

FALCO,  LiKHAlii. 

Fnlro,  Lmii.TO*,  Ry«t.  Nut.  I.  124  (1760). 

(Icneral  furm  robust  nnd  compact.  Bill  nhort,  curved  utrnngly  IVom  the  baae  to 
tile  point,  which  l«  very  «hiir|>,  and  nc«r  which  i»  ii  (Hntinct  and  gcnorally  prominent 
toiilli;  noatrila  circular,  with  a  cvniral  tuhorcle;  winK"  long,  |>ointt'i|,  tbnned  for 
vi)(orouii,  rapid,  and  ion^-continuod  flight;  tiill  rather  long  and  with;;  tnriti  nhiirl, 
rubuit,  covered  with  cinular  or  hexagonal  icalea;  niiddio  tou  lon<(;  clawa  lar^e, 
itroDg,  curved,  and  very  tharp. 

FALCO  AVKtVU.  —  Bonaparte. 
The  Suek  Hawk ;  Oreat-Footed  Hawk. 

f'aico  analum,  liontp.    Comp.  I.i«,  p.  4  (1888). 

"  Fatco  pereyrinui,"  Wilion,  Audubon,  and  other  authors. 

Dkscihptioii. 

AMt.  —  Frontal  band  white;  entire  upper  parts  blulsh-oinereons,  with  trans- 
Tewe  hands  of  brownlsh-hlaok,  lighter  on  the  rumpj  under  parts  yellowish-white, 
with  co-date  and  circular  spots  of  black  on  the  breast  and  abdomen,  and  trntuverie 
bandr>  of  black  on  the  sides,  under  tail  coverts,  and  tibim;  quills  and  tail  brownish- 
black,  the  latter  with  transverse  bars  of  pale  cinereous;  cheeks  with  a  patch  of 
black;  bill  light-blue ;  tarsi  and  toes  yellow     Sexes  alike. 

Younffer.  —  Entire  upper  parts  brownish-black;  fVontal  spot  obscure;  large 
space  on  the  cheeks  black;  under  parts  dull  yellowish-white,  darker  than  in  adult, 
and  with  longitudinal  stripes  of  browniah-black ;  tarsi  and  toes  blui»h-lead  color, 
iris  hazel. 

Total  length,  eighteen  to  twenty  inches;  wing,  fourteen  to  fifteen;  tail,  seven 
to  eight  inches.  > 

The  Duck  Hawk,  which  by  the  name  of  Peregine  Falcon 
is  known  to  my  readers  as  one  of  the  most  rapacious  of 
our  birds  of  prey,  is  not  uncommon  in  many  portions  of 
New  England.  It  is  nearly  identical  with  the  European 
species,  and  its  habits  and  destructivoness  are  equally  great 
with  that  bird.  In  its  habitat,  it  is  oftener  found  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  sea-coast  than  in  the  interior.  It  is  a 
powerful  bird,  of  rapid  flight  and  great  boldness  and  cour- 

^  See  Introduction. 


I 


8 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


age,  and  is  the  terror  of  the  water-fowl,  which  constitute  the 
greater  portion  of  its  prey.  Tlie  breeding  season  of  this 
species  is  very  early.  It  commences  building  the  nest 
usually  on  an  inaccessible  cliff,  by  the  first  of  April.  This 
is  constructed  of  twigs,  grasses,  and  sometimes  seaweeds. 
The  eggs  are  from  two  to  four  in  number:  their  form  is 
almost  spherical,  and  their  color  is  of  a  reddish-brown, 
covered  with  nximerous  minute  spots  and  blotches  of  a 
darker  shade.  The  dimensions  of  the  only  two  specimens 
accessible  to  me  at  present  are  1.90  inch  in  length  by  1.75 
in  breadth,  and  1.85  inch  in  length  by  1.72  inch  in  breadth. 
The  following  extracts  from  the  writings  of  different 
authors  comprise  the  most  interesting  observations  made 
of  this  species :  — 

«  The  flight  of  this  bird  is  of  astonishing  rapidity.    It  is  scarcely 
ever  seen  sailing,  unless  after  being  disappointed  in  its  attempt  to 
secure  the  prey  which  it  had  been  pursuing;  and  rven  at  such 
times  it  merely  rises,  with  a  broad  spiral  circuit,  to  attain  a  suffi- 
cient elevation  to  enable  it  to  reconnoitre  a  certain  space  below.    It 
then  emits  a  cry  much  resembling  that  of  the  sparrow-hawk,  but 
greatly  louder,  like  that  of  the  European  kestrel,  and  flies  off 
swiftly  in  quest  of  plunder.    The  search  is  often  performed  with  a 
flight  resembling  that  of  the  tame  pigeon,  until,  perceiving  an  object, 
it  redoubles  its  flappings,  and  pursues  the  fugitive  with  a  rapidity 
scarcely  to  be   conceived.     Its  turnings,  windings,  and  cuttings 
through  the  air,  are  now  surprising.     It  follows  and  nears  the 
timorous  quarry  at  every  turn  and  back-cutting  which  the  latter 
attempts.    Arrived  within  a  few  feet  of  the  prey,  the  Falcon  is 
seen  protruding  his  powerful  legs  and  talons  to  their  full  stretch. 
His  wings  are,  for  a  moment,  almost  closed ;  the  next  instant,  he 
grapples  the  prize,  which,  if  too  weighty  to  be  carried  off  directly, 
he  forces  obliquely  toward  the  ground,  sometimes  a  hundred  yards 
from  where  it  was  seized,  to  kill  it,  and  devour  it  on  the  spot. 
Should  this  happen  over  a  large  extent  of  water,  the  Falcon  drops 
his  prey,  and  sets  off  in  quest  of  another.     On  the  contrary,  should 
it  not  prove  too  heavy,  the  exulting  bird  carries  it  off  to  a  seques- 
tered and  secure  place.    He  pursues  the  smaller  ducks,  water-hens, 


L 


■i 


f^^ 


GREAT-FOOTED   HAWK. 


9 


and  other  swimming  birds ;  and,  if  they  are  not  quick  in  diving, 
seizes  them,  and  rises  with  them  from  the  water.  I  have  seen  this 
hawk  come  at  the  report  of  a  gun,  and  carry  off  a  teal,  not  thirty 
steps  distant  from  the  sportsman  who  had  killed  it,  with  a  daring 
assurance  as  surprising  as  unexpected.  This  conduct  has  been 
observed  by  many  individuals,  and  is  a  characteristic  trait  of  the 
species.  The  largest  bird  that  I  have  seen  this  hawk  attack  and 
grapple  with  on  the  wing  is  the  Mallard. 

"Thd  Great-footed  Hawk  does  not,  however,  content  himself 
with  waterfowl.  He  is  generally  seen  following  the  flocks  of 
pigeons,  and  even  blackbirds,  causing  great  terror  in  their  ranks, 
and  forcing  them  to  perform  aerial  evolutions  to  escape  the  grasp 
of  his  dreaded  talons.  For  several  days,  I  watched  one  of  them 
that  had  taken  a  particular  fancy  to  some  tame  pigeons,  to  secure 
which  it  went  so  far  as  to  enter  their  house  at  one  of  the  holes, 
8eir.e  a  bird,  and  issue  by  another  hole  in  an  instant,  causing  such 
terror  among  the  rest  as  to  render  me  fearful  that  they  would 
abandon  the  place.     However,  I  fortunately  shot  the  depredator. 

"They  occasionally  feed  on  dead  fish,  that  have  floated  to  the 
shores  or  sand-bars.  I  saw  several  of  them  thus  occupied,  while 
descending  the  Mississippi  on  a  journey  undertaken  expressly  for 
the  purpose  of  observing  and  procuring  different  specimens  of 
birds,  and  which  lasted  four  months,  as  I  followed  the  windings 
of  that  great  river,  floating  down  it  only  a  few  miles  daily.  During 
that  period,  I  and  my  companion  counted  upwards  of  fifty  of  these 
hawks,  and  killed  several ;  one  of  which  was  found  to  contain  in  its 
stomach  bones  of  birds,  a  few  downy  feathers,  the  gizzard  of  a  teal, 
and  the  eyes  and  many  scales  of  a  fish. 

"Whilst  in  quest  of  food,  the  Great-footed  Hawk  will  frequently 
alight  on  the  highest  dead  branch  of  a  tree,  in  the  immediate  neigh- 
borhood of  such  wet  or  marshy  ground  as  the  common  snipe  resorts 
to  by  preference.  His  head  is  seen  moving  in  short  starts,  as  if  he 
were  counting  every  little  space  below ;  and,  while  so  engaged,  the 
moment  he  espies  a  snipe,  down  he  darts  like  an  arrow,  making  a 
rustling  noise  with  his  winge,  that  may  be  heard  several  hundred 
yards  off,  seizes  the  snipe,  and  flies  away  to  some  near  wood  to 

devour  it. 

"It  is  a  cleanly  bird,  in  respect  to  feeding.  No  sooner  is  the 
prey  dead,  than  the  Falcon  turns  it  belly  upwards,  and  begins  to 


BM^^^H^.^^..^,^..^.. 


10 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND   OOLOGY. 


pluck  it  with  his  bill,  which  he  does  very  expertly,  holding  it  mean- 
time quite  faot  in  his  talons ;  and,  as  soon  as  a  portion  is  cleared  of 
feathers,  tears  the  flesh  in  large  pieces,  and  swallows  it  with  great 
avidity. 

"  If  it  is  a  large  bird,  he  leaves  the  refuse  parts ;  but,  if  small, 
swallows  the  whole  in  pieces.  Should  he  be  approached  by  an 
enemy,  he  rises  with  it,  and  flies  off  into  the  interior  of  the  woods ; 
or,  if  he  happens  to  be  in  a  meadow,  to  some  considerable  distance, 
he  being  mori  wary  at  such  times  than  when  he  has  alighted  on  a 
tree." — Audubon. 

The  following  very  complete  description  of  the  breeding 
habits  of  the  Great-footed  Hawk  is  from  the  pen  of  J.  A. 
Allen,  of  Springfield,  Mass.,  one  of  our  most  enthusiastic 
students,  published  in  the  "  Proceedings  of  the  Essex  Insti- 
tute," vol.  IV. :  — 

"  All  accounts  agree  that  the  nest  is  placed  on  almost  inaccessible 
cliffs ;  and  often  it  can  only  be  approached  by  a  person  being  let 
down  by  a  rope  from  above.  The  old  birds  are  represented  as  bold 
in  the  defence  of  their  nest  approaching  so  near  as  generally  to  be 
easily  shot.  They  arrive  early  at  their  nesting-place  j  and,  though 
they  often  bestow  no  labor  in  the  construction  of  a  nest,  beyond  the 
scraping  of  a  slight  hollow  in  the  ground,  they  defend  their  chosen 
eyrie  for  weeks  before  the  eggs  are  laid,  and  are  known  to  return 
for  several  years  to  the  same  site.  Incubation  commences  very 
early,  the  young  having  been  found  in  the  nest  at  Mount  Tom,  May 
30,  nearly  fledged,^  and  on  Talcott  Mountain,  in  the  same  condi- 
tion, June  1 ;  so  that  the  laying  of  the  eggs  must  occur  by  the  last 
of  March,  or  very  early  in  April.  The  number  of  eggs  has  been 
known  in  several  instances  to  be  four. 

"  Mountains  Tom  and  Holyoke,  in  Massachusetts,  afford  several 
localities  favorable  for  the  nidification  of  the  Duck  Hawk;  and 
sometimes  several  pairs,  and  probably  usually  more  than  one,  breed 
about  these  mountains.*    About  the  last  of  May,  1863,  Mr.  Bennett 

1  According  to  B.  B.  Hildreth,  Esq.,  of  Springaeld,  who  visited  this  nert  May 
80, 1861,  and  noted  the  fact  The  nest  on  Talcott  Mountain,  Conn.,  was  found  the 
same  season,  and  first  visited  only  a  few  days  later,  —  about  June  1, 1881. 

9  Since  the  above  was  written,  I  have  been  informed  by  Mr.  Bennett,  that  a 
pair  of  these  hawks  actually  raised  their  young  on  Mount  Tom  in  the  summer  of 
1864,  notwithstanding  one  pair  was  broken  up  the  same  season. 


GREAT-FOOTED   HAWK. 


11 


saw  five  adult  birds  of  this  species  about  Mount  Tom.  Dr.  W, 
Wood,  of  East-Windsor  Hill,  Conn.,  informs  me,  that  two  pairs  of 
Duck  Hawks  were  evidently  breeding  on  Talcott  Mountain  in  the 
summer  of  1863. 

"  Discovery  of  the  Eggs  on  Mount  Tom.  —  Although  the  Duck 
Hawk  has  been  long  known  to  breed  at  the  localities  in  Massachu- 
setts mentioned  above,  those  conT(^rsant  with  the  fact  were  not 
aware  that  any  special  interest  was  attached  to  it,  or  that  its  eggs 
and  breeding  habits  were  but  very  little  known  to  ornithologists ; 
and  80,  until  very  recently,  no  particular  efforts  have  been  made  to 
obtain  the  eggs.  Mr.  Bennett,  becoming  aware  of  this,  resolved 
to  procure  the  eggs.  He  accordingly  visited  Mount  Tom  for  this 
purpose,  April  7,  of  the  present  year,  when  ho  searched  the  whole 
ridge  of  the  mountain,  discovered  the  old  birds,  and  the  particular 
part  they  most  frequented,  and  also  the  site  of  a  nest  where  young 
had  been  raised.  The  old  birds  were  continually  near  this  spot, 
and  manifested  much  solicitude  when  it  was  approached,  ofleu 
flying  within  six  or  eight  rods ;  and  once  the  female  came  within 
three,  screaming  and  thrusting  out  her  talons  with  an  expression  of 
great  rage  and  fierceness.  The  birds  did  not  appear  at  all  shy, 
being  easily  approacaed  quite  near  to ;  though,  in  walking,  the  crack- 
ing of  sticks  and  the  clinking  of  the  splinters  of  trap-rock  made  no 
little  noise.  One  of  the  bir3.s  appeared  to  keep  close  to  the  eyrie ; 
and  both  would  approach  whanever  it  was  visited,  screaming  at  and 
menacing  the  intruder,  notwithstanding  that  at  that  time  there  were 
no  eggs,  as  was  aAerwards  proved.  Mr.  Bennett,  suspecting  that 
incubation  had  already  commenced,  visited  the  locality  again  on  the 
9th,  but  only  saw  the  old  nest ;  the  birds  behaving  as  before.  On 
April  19,  ten  days  later,  he  made  another  visit;  and  creeping 
carefully  to  the  summit  of  the  cliff,  at  a  point  near  the  eyrie 
already  spoken  of,  he  saw  the  female,  on  looking  over  the  cliff, 
sitting  on  the  nest,  and  but  five  or  six  yards  distant.  She  eyed  him 
fiercely  for  an  instant,  and  then,  scrambling  from  the  nest  to  the 
edge  of  the  narrow  shelf  supporting  it,  launched  into  the  air :  in  a 
twinkling,  Mr.  Bennett's  unerring  aim  sent  her  tumbling  dead  at 
the  foot  of  the  precipice,  several  hundred  feet  below.  The  nest 
contained  four  eggs,  which  were  soon  safely  secured,  and  the  body 
of  the  female  was  obtained  from  the  foot  of  the  cliff.  The  male, 
soon  coming  about,  was  shot  at ;  but  he  was  too  shy  to  come  within 


^■m}*'^*i^A'^-'^'t  *   ™  ^°i       t* 


<«l 


12 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


range,  except  once,  while  the  gun  was  being  reloaded.  The  eggs 
were  all  laid  after  Mr.  Bennett's  visit,  April  9  ;  and  their  contents 
showed,  April  19,  that  they  had  been  incubated  but  a  day  or  two. 
Incubation  seems,  in  this  case,  to  have  commenced  several  weeks 
later  than  usual,  which  may  be  owing  to  the  late  snows  and  unusual 
coldness  of  the  weather  this  year,  during  the  first  half  of  April. 

"  Location  and  Description  of  the  Eyrie.  —  The  situation  of  the 
eyrie  was  near  the  highest  part  of  the  mountain,  about  one-third  of 
the  length  of  the  mountain  from  the  south  end,  on  a  narrow  shelf 
in  the  rock,  eight  or  ten  feet  from  the  top  of  a  nearly  perpenditular 
cliif,  one  hundred  and  fifty  or  two  hundred  feet  in  height,  and  was 
inaccessible  except  to  a  bold  climber,  and  at  one  particular  point. 
The  nest  was  merely  a  slight  excavation,  sufficient  to  contain  the 
eggn :  no  accessory  material  had  been  added.  The  site  had  been 
previously  occupied,  and  probably  for  several  years  ;  and,  for  weeks 
before  the  eggs  were  laid,  was  carefully  guarded  by  the  bold  and 
watchful  birds. 

"  Description  of  the  Eggs.  —  The  eggs,  four  in  number,  as  already 
stated,  differ  greatly  both  in  shape  and  coloring ;  the  extremes  in 
either  being  widely  diverse.  They  are  described  in  detail,  and 
probably  in  the  same  order  as  laid. 

"  No.  1.  Longer  diameter,  2.18  inches ;  shorter  diameter,  1.71 
inches:  the  shorter  diameter  is  .885  the  longer.  The  form  is 
somewhat  ovoid,  one  end  being  slightly  larger  than  the  other ;  but 
neither  end  is  very  pointed:  the  point  of  greatest  transverse 
diameter  is  .645  the  length  of  the  egg  from  the  smallest  end.  In 
form,  this  egg  is  very  nearly  like  the  egg  from  Greenland,  figured 
by  Dr.  Brewer  in  the  '  North- American  Oology '  (pt.  I.  plate  11. 
fig.  11).  The  general  color  is  chocolate-brown,  darker  and  more 
dense  and  uniform  about  the  ends,  the  part  about  the  middle  being 
lighter,  varied  with  small  irregular  blotches  and  specks  of  a  darker 
tint  than  the  ground-color.  The  color  of  the  smaller  end  is  nearly 
a  uniform  dull-red  ochre.  There  is  also  an  irregular  belt  of  scat- 
tered and  apparently  very  superficial  blotches  of  very  dark  brown, 
or  nearly  black.  Something  similar  is  often  noticed  on  the  eggs 
of  many  birds  that  lay  brown  or  speckled  eggs. 

"  No.  2.  Longer  diameter,  2.21  inches  ;  shorter  diameter,  1.67 
inches  :  shorter  diameter,  .755  the  longer.  Form,  nearly  an  ellip- 
soid, the  point  of  greatest  transverse  diameter  being  scarcely  to 


GREAT-FOOTED   HAWK. 


13 


f. 


one  side  of  the  middle  (.54  the  length  of  the  egg  from  the  smaller 
end) ;  ends  very  nearly  equal,  and  not  very  pointed.  The  distri- 
bution of  the  color  in  this  is  nearest  of  any  of  the  four  eggs 
before  me  to  that  figured  by  Dr.  Brewer,  and  only  differs  from  it 
in  tint.  One  end  (the  smaller  ?)  is  very  light  reddish,  or  reddish- 
white,  becoming  lighter  from  the  middle  towards  this  end,  about 
which  it  is  the  lightest,  and  thinly  marked  with  irregular  mottlings 
of  dark  reddish  chocolate,  which  present  a  very  superficial  grayish 
tinge  that  is  very  characteristic ;  the  other  end  (the  larger  ?)  is  of 
a  uniform  dark  ferruginous-brown  or  dull-red  ochre,  varied  towards 
the  middle  by  the  appearance  of  the  light  ground-color  between 
the  there  scarcely  confluent  blotches  of  dark-brown  that  give  the 
uniform  deep  tint  towards  and  about  this  end. 

"No.  3.  Longer  diameter,  2.32  inches;  shorter  diameter,  1.70 
inches:  shorter  diameter,  .733  the  longer.  Form  ovoid,  the 
smaller  end  elongated  and  much  pointed.  This  egg  is  the  longest, 
and  much  larger  in  proportion  to  its  diameter  than  either  of  the 
others.  The  point  of  greatest  diameter  is  .656  the  length  of 
the  egg  from  the  smaller  end.  In  this  specimen,  the  contrast 
between  the  ground-color  and  the  markings  becomes  very  strong : 
the  ground-color,  which  is  seen  chiefly  in  a  broad  band  about  the 
middle  of  the  egg,  being  white  or  reddish-white ;  and  the  markings 
very  dark  reddish-brown,  nearly  approaching  purple,  and  are  quite 
uniformly  distributed  in  blotches  of  various  sizes,  the  largest  being 
near  the  larger  end  of  the  egg :  the  sub-markings  are  of  a  lighter 
reddish-brown,  and  are  more  blended. 

"No.  4.  Longer  diameter,  2.16  inches;  shorter  diameter,  1.65 
inches:  shorter  diameter,  .765  the  longer.  Form  regular  ovoid, 
the  smaller  end  rather  more  pointed  than  the  same  in  No.  1 ;  point 
of  greatest  transverse  diameter  .60  the  length  of  the  egg  from  the 
smaller  end.  In  this  specimen,  the  contrast  of  the  ground-color 
with  the  markings  is  very  striking,  especially  when  compared  with 
specimens  No.  1  and  No.  2 ;  and  the  most  peculiar  (lart  is,  that  the 
greater  end  of  the  egg,  which  in  the  eggs  of  most  birds  is  the  end 
usually  most  subject  to  markings  and  to  the  greatest  depth  of  color, 
is  white,  sprinkleJ  sparingly  with  reddish  specks,  while  the  smaller 
end  is  deep,  bright  brick-red,  here  and  there  relieved  by  small 
specks  and  patches  of  white  ground-color.  About  the  middle  of 
the  egg,  the  colors  are  in  more  equal  proportions ;  the  white  patches 


«!ASji»!Ra«WW**--.'f'!v;,/s.i,-S?|f|Js::~5««?*^^ 


14 


ORNITHOLOQY   AND  OOLOGY. 


becoming  larger  on  the  smaller  end  towards  the  middle,  and  the 
red  patches  on  the  larger  end  increase  towards  the  same  point, 
where  the  colors  meet  and  become  mixed  in  irregular  patches  of 
various  sizes,  from  mere  dots  to  blotches.  The  smaller  end  has  a 
few  streaks  and  blotches  of  dark-purple  overlying  apparently  the 
other  colors,  as  in  specimen  No.  1. 

"These  specimens  are  very  interesting,  as  indicating  the  great 
amount  of  variation  to  which  the  American  Peregrine's  eggs  are 
subject ;  and  especially  so  since  they  are  all  the  product  of  one  pair 
of  birds,  laid  in  one  set,  and  identified  as  such  beyond  question. 
In  coloration,  a  transition  can  be  traced  between  the  extreme  in  the 
order  they  are  numbered,  which  is  undoubtedly  the  order  in  which 
they  were  laid,  as  indicated  by  the  thickness  of  the  shell  as  well  aa 
by  the  depth  of  color. 


TABLB  OF  COMPABATIVB  MEASURBMKHTa. 


No.  1 

No.  2 .  .  .  :  .  . 

No.  3 

No.  4 

Average 

Greater  extreme  .  . 
Lesser  extreme  •  . 
Amount  of  Tariation 


L<n(tb. 

2.18  in. 

2.21  „ 
2.82  „ 
2.18  „ 

2.22  „ 
2.82  „ 
2.16  „ 
0.16  „ 


Dr.  Brewer'8  specimen  .    2.00 


Breadth. 

1.71  in, 

1.67  „ 

1.70  „ 
1.66  „ 

1.68  „ 

1.71  „ 
1.66  „ 
0.06  „ 
1.66  „ 


Prop,  of  brendth 
to  length* 

0.785  in. 
0.756  „ 
0.782  „ 
0.766  „ 
0.769  „ 
0.786  „ 
0.782  „ 
0.068  „ 
0.780  „ 


Point  of  grMt«it  traniTOTM 
diameter  from  imaU  end. 

0.640  length  of  the  egg. 

0.540 

0.650 

0.600 

0.609 

0.666 

0.540 

0.116 


If   »  n 

i>   II  1 

II   II  1 

11   II  II 

II   II  1 

II   II  1 

II   II  1 

"  From  the  above  table,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  range  of  varia- 
tion in  the  four  specimens  in  length  is  .16  of  an  inch,  or  nearly 
seven  and  a  half  per  cent  of  the  average  length;  in  breadth,  .06 
of  an  inch,  or  about  three  and  a  half  per  cent  of  the  average 
breadth :  in  the  proportion  of  breadth  to  length,  about  ^en  por 
cent  of  the  length,  or  nearly  twenty  per  cent  of  the  average  pro- 
portion. The  variation  in  the  position  of  the  point  of  greatest 
transverse  diameter  is  about  eleven  and  a  half  per  cent  of  the 
whole  length  of  the  egg;  the  form  of  the  eggs  varying  from  an 
ellipsoid  in  No.  2  to  an  ovoid,  which,  in  No.  8,  has  the  smaller  end 
considerably  elongated.  It  will  be  observed  that  the  egg  meas- 
ured by  Dr.  Brewer  is  considerably  smaller  than  my  smallest 
specimen,  and  that  the  proportion  of  breadth  to  length  scarcely 
differs  from  the  same  proportion  in  No.  1. 


ttmmmm 


GREAT-FOOTED    HAWK. 


16 


"  In  comparing  the  eggs  of  the  American  and  the  European 
Peregrine  Falcons,  Dr.  Brewer  observes :  *  It  [the  American] 
closely  resembles  a  variety  of  the  eggs  of  the  European  species, 
but  seems  to  present  differences  sufficiently  well  marked  to  be 
regarded  as  specific.  .  .  .  The  ground-coU  rs  of  both  American  and 
European  are  a  reddish-yellow ;  and  both  are  thickly  covered  with 
fine  dottings  of  chocolate  and  ferruginous  brown,  diffused  over  the 
whole  egg  in  nearly  equal  degree,  and  to  such  an  extent  as  nearly 
to  conceal  the  ground.  The  length  of  the  American  egg  is  slightly 
less ;  but  it  is  of  equal  or  greater  capacity,  and  varies  in  its  mark- 
ings from  all  the  European  specimens  that  I  have  ever  met  with. 
These  variations,  though  readily  traceable  by  the  eye,  are  not  so 
easily  described.  The  shades  of  coloring  in  both  are  closely  alike : 
the  variation  consists  more  in  the  distribution  of  these  markings.  In 
the  European  specimens,  the  fine  markings  of  chocolate  are  distri- 
buted wkh  nearly  exact  uniformity.  In  the  American,  the  secondary 
colorings  are  now  more  thickly  and  now  more  thinly  diffused,  —  here 
leaving  the  ground-color  nearly  unchanged ;  there  becoming  con- 
fluent, and  blending  into  waving  lines,  blotches,  and  bold  dashes. 
The  egg,  in  Consequence,  presents  a  more  varied  appearance.  These 
markings  are  also  in  greater  proportion  around  the  larger  end  of  the 
egg,  and  the  blotches  are  of  a  deeper  shade ;  so  there  is  a  variation 
in  the  shading  between  the  smaller  and  larger  extremities  not  no- 
ticeable in  any  European  egg  that  I  have  met  with.' 

"  The  amount  of  variation  presented  by  the  eggs  of  the  Duck 
Hawk,  described  above,  shows  that  but  little  dependence  can  be 
placed  on  the  eggs  in  deciding  specific  differences.  The  eggs  men- 
tioned by  Dr.  Brewer  are  not  much  different  from  those  of  the 
true  European  Peregrine.  One  or  two  of  the  specimens  before 
me  considerably  resemble  Dr.  Brewer's,  and  likewise  eggs  of  the 
European  species,  as  figured  and  described  by  authors,  while 
the  others  are  very  different,  one  being  remarkably  so. 

"The  eggs  of  the  different  species  of  this  group  of  Falcons 
seem  to  resemble  each  other  greatly,  and  to  be  subject  to  consider- 
able variation  in  the  same  species.  In  the  manner  of  laying  the 
eggs,  there  is  also  a  similarity,  as  might  be  expected  among  closely 
allied  species ;  the  same  species  sometimes  laying  them  on  the  bare 
rocks,  and  again  in  a  bulky  nest  of  sticks  and  other  coarse  materi- 
als.   The  nest  of  this  species  visited  on  Talcott  Mountain,  Couom 


1 


\' 


I 


16 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


was  of  tho  latter  kind ;  while  on  Mount  Holyoke  the  eggs  were 
laid  on  the  bare  earth. 

«  Audubon  thus  (lescribes  the  neat  and  eggs  of  the  Duck  Hawk, 
as  observed  by  him  at  Labrador :  — 

'"I  hare  nowhere  seen  it  so  abundant  as  along  the  high,  rocky  sliores  of 
Labrador  and  Newfoundland,  where  I  procured  several  adult  individuals 
of  both  sexes,  as  well  as  some  eggs  and  young.  The  nests  were  placed  on 
the  shelves  of  rocks,  a  few  feet  from  the  top,  and  were  flat,  and  rudely  con- 
structed of  sticks  and  moss.  In  some  were  found  four  eggs,  in  others  only 
two,  and  in  one  five.  In  one  nest  only  a  single  young  bird  was  found.  Tho 
eggs  vary  considerably  in  color  and  size,  which,  I  think,  is  owing  to  a  differ- 
ence of  age  in  the  females;  the  eggs  of  young  birds  behig  smaller.  Tho 
average  length  of  four  was  two  inches,  their  breadth  one  and  five-eighths. 
They  are  somewhat  rounded,  though  larger  at  one  end  than  the  other ;  their 
general  and  most  common  color  is  a  reddish  or  rusty  yellowish-brown, 
spotted  and  confusedly  marked  with  darker  tints  of  the  same,  here  and  there 
intermixed  with  lighter.  The  young  are  at  first  thickly  covered  with  soft 
white  down.  ...  In  several  instances,  wo  found  these  I'alcons  breeding  on 
the  same  ledge  with  cormorants,  Phalacrocorax  carlo.'  "  * 

"  Audubon  adds  that  he  is  perfectly  convinced  that  the  3reat- 
footed  Falcon,  or  Duck  Hawk  of  the  later  ornithologists,  is  not 
different  from  the  Peregf ine  Falcon  of  Europe.  '  Since  my  first 
acquaintance  with  this  species,'  he  says,  •  I  have  observed  nothing 
in  its  habits,  form,  or  marking  on  one  continent  that  is  different 
from  what  is  found  on  the  other.'  Since  the  difference  in  breeding 
habits  supposed  to  exist  when  Bonaparte  separated  them  in  1838, 
and  which  influenced  his  judgment  in  the  matter,  has  been  found 
to  be  not  real,  there  seems  to  be  nothing  whatever  in  the  breeding 
habits  or  in  the  appearance  of  the  egg<i  to  indicate  specific  differ- 
ence between  the  American  and  European  birds." 


RTPOTRIOSCHIS  OOIiiniBASnTS.  —  Gray. 
The  Pigeon  Hawk.  ■#  "* 

Falco  a^mbarius,  Linnaeus.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  128  (1766). 
Falco  intermixtm,  Daudin.    Traito  d'Orn.,  II.  141  (1800). 
Fako  ttmerariiu,  Audubon.    Cm.  Biog.,  L  881  (1831). 
Faloo  Audubom.    Blackwall,  Kesearches,  Zool.,  1884. 

Descbiftiok. 
Adult  Male.  —Entire  upper  parts  bluish-slate  color,  every  feather  with  a  black 
longitudinal  Une;  forehead  and  throat  white;  other  under  parts  pale  yellowish  or 

1  Om.  Blog.,  vol.  V.  p.  866. 


> 


""i"' lml,mmnt~^ 


liiWl»'ii<iili*»<w««l«n«-K»- 


MM 


•■ 


THE   PIOEON    HAWK. 


17 


reddinh  white ;  every  feather  with  a  lorgitu'linal  line  of  browninli-biack;  tibia  light 
ferruginous,  with  linen  of  black •,  quilU  black,  tipped  with  aiihy  white;  tail  light-bluish 
ashy,  tipjwd  with  white  and  with  a  wide  gubterminal  band  of  black,  and  with 
ieveral  other  transverao  narrower  bands  of  black i  inner  webs  nearly  white;  cere 
and  legs  yulluw;  bill  blue. 

Youni/'er.  —  Fntiro  upper  plumage  dusky-brown,  quite  light  In  some  «peclmeng, 
and  with  a  tinge  of  ashy;  head  above,  with  narrow  stripes  of  dark  brown  and  ferru- 
ginous, and  in  some  specimens  many  irregular  spoU^  and  edgings  of  the  latter  color 
on  the  other  upper  parts;  forehpad  and  entire  under  parts  dull-white,  the  latter 
with  longitudinal  stripes  of  light-brown ;  sides  and  flanks  light-brown,  with  pairs  of 
circular  spots  of  white;  tibia)  dull  white,  with  dashes  of  brown;  tail  pale-brown, 
with  about  six  transverse  bands  of  white;  cere  and  legs  greenish-yellow. 

Yountf.  —  Upper  plumage  brownish-black,  white  of  the  forehead  and  under  part* 
more  deeply  tinged  with  reddish-yellow;  dark  stripes  wider  than  the  preceding; 
sides  and  flanks  with  wide  transverse  bands  of  brownish-black,  and  with  circular 
spots  of  yellowish-white ;  quills  black ;  tail  brownish-black,  tipped  with  white,  and 
with  about  four  bands  of  white;  cere  and  feet  greenish-yellow;  iris  dark-hazel. 

Total  length,  female  twelve  to  fourteen  inches;  wing,  eight  to  nine  inches;  tail, 
Ave  to  five  and  a  half  inches.  Male,  total  length,  ten  to  eleven  inches;  wing,  seven 
and  a  half  to  eight  inches ;  mil,  five  inches. 

This  species  is  a  pretty  common  spring  and  fall  visitor  in 
all  the  New-England  States,  and  is  sometimes  a  resident 
in  the  southern  sections  of  these  States  through  the  winter ; 
specimens  being  occasionally  taken  as  late  as  January,  in 
mild  seasons.  This  bird  is  one  of  the  most  destructive  of 
our  rapacia:  he  kills  all  the  smaller  birds,  robins,  black- 
birds, sparrows  in  great  numbers,  and  even  attacks  the 
wild  pigeua  and  dove,  which  he  is  almost  always  able  to 
overtake  and  capture,  as  he  is  possessed  of  very  great 
rapidity  of  flight.  I  have  seen  one  of  these  hawks  make  a 
pounce  at  a  sparrow  that  was  singing  on  a  low  bush ;  and 
the  bird  happily  eluding  his  clutch,  as  quick  as  a  flash  of 
light,  he  turned,  and  pursued  and  captured  a  robin  that  had 
taken  flight  at  his  first  appearance,  and  was  already  quite  a 
considerable  distance  off:  as  the  robin  is  well  known  to 
have  great  speed  of  flight,  this  circumstance  well  illustrates 
the  velocity  of  this  hawk. 

The  flight  of  the  bird  consists  of  a  series  of  flaps  of  the 
wings,  with  but  a  very  few  intervals  of  soaring :  in  pursuing 
the  wild  pigeon,  the  strokes  of  the  wings  of  the  two  birds 
are  nearly  simultaneous.    As  he  strikes  his  prey,  he  almost 

2 


! 


18 


OnNITHOLOOY   AND  OOLOGY. 


always,  instead  of  clutching  it  as  it  falls,  alights  affcr  it  has 
fallen,  in  the  same  manner  as  the  fireat-footod  Hawk.  I 
have  noticed  the  same  fact  with  the  Red-tailed  Ilawk ;  tho 
victim  seems  to  fall  dead,  or,  at  any  rate,  perfectly  incapable 
of  motion :  whether  this  is  the  result  of  a  kind  of  mesmer- 
ism, as  it  wore,  similar  to  the  influence  of  the  cats  on  their 
prey,  or  the  hawk  transfixes  his  quarry  through  tho  vitals,  I 
am  unable  to  say. 

The  Pigeon  Hawk,  in  alighting  on  a  branch  or  other 
object,  always  descends  below  the  level  of  it,  and  r'scs  up; 
and  usually  turns  abruptly  about,  and  faces  tho  direction 
from  which  it  came,  as  soon  as  it  has  struck  its  perch. 
This  habit  is  observable  in  many  of  tho  other  hawks. 

While  perching,  the  tail  is  often  flirted  up  and  down, 
and  tho  wings  are  partially  opened  and  shut  in  a  nervous 
manner,  as  if  the  bird  were  anxious  to  be  off  again  in  the 
pursuit  of  game. 

It  is  not  improbable  that  it  breeds  in  New  England, 
although  I  do  not  remember  of  an  authenticated  instance. 
I  have  no  egg  of  this  bird  in  my  collection,  and  have  never 
met  with  its  nest.  There  seems  considerable  confusion 
regarding  this  species,  both  as  to  its  nesting-place  and  its 
eggs.  Mr.  Hutchins  says  ("  Fauna  Boroali  Americana," 
11.  36)  it  "naakes  its  nest  on  rocks  and  in  hollow  trees, 
of  sticks  and  grass,  lined  with  feathers ;  laying  from  two  to 
four  white  eggs,  marked  with  red  spots."  Audubon,  in 
describing  the  eggs,  says  ("  Birds  of  America ")  :  "  Mr. 
Hutchins's  description  of  the  eggs  of  this  bird  is  greatly 
at  variance  with  my  own  observations.  The  eggs,  in  three 
instances  which  occurred  at  Labrador,  were  five ;  they 
measured  an  inch  and  three-quarters  in  length,  an  inch  and 
a  quarter  in  breadth,  and  were  rather  elongated;  their 
ground-color  a  dull  yellowish-brown,  thickly  clouded  with 
irregular  blotches  of  dull,  dark  reddish-brown."  Dr. 
Brewer  says  ("  Synopsis  of  Birds  of  North  America,"  as 
an  appendix  to  Wilson's  "  Ornithology  "")  it  "  nests  in  low 


ma, 
rees, 
m  to 
1,  in 


4 


A 


Plate  I. 


Fig.  1.  Pliieon  Ilnwk,  Hijpntriorehia  tetumbarius.    Ony. 

,.     2.  Spurri>w  Iliiwk,  Tmnuneuius  aparverius.     Tieillot. 

„     3.  Shnrp-shinnril  Hawk,  Accipittr fuscus.    Bonaparte. 

„     4.  IttHl-HlioiiMered  Hawk,  Buteo  tineatus.     Jardioe. 

„     S.  Brotul-wiogetl  Hawk,  Batio  Peniuylvimieua.    Bonaparte. 


MM! 


I 


f 


THE   SPARROW   HAWK. 


19 


fir-trees,  twelve  feet  from  the  ground;   eggs  three,  dull 
yellowish-brown,  with  dark  reddish-brown  blotches." 

A  single  egg  before  me,  kindly  loaned  for  descriptions 
and  figure  by  George  A.  Boardman  of  Milltown,  Me.,  is  of 
the  above  color.  It  is  admirably  figured,  fig.  1,  plate  I., 
in  this  volume.  It  is  a  trifle  more  pointed  than  the  eggs 
of  rapacious  birds  usually  are,  and  measures  1.50  inch  in 
length,  and  1.14  inch  at  its  greatest  breadth. 

TIHNUHCULTIS  SPAEVEBIUS.—  VieiUot. 

yHha  Sparrow  Hawk.  — 

Falco  ^xirverius,  Linneeus.    Syst.  Nat,  I.  128  (1768). 

Falco  dominicemti,  Gm.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  285  (1788). 

Falco  gracilii,  cinnamoninu$,  and  uabelUnus.    Sw.  Cab.  Cy.,  p.  281  (1888). 

•  Desckiptios. 

Adult.  — Trontal  band  and  space,  including  the  eyes  and  throat,  white;  spot  on 
the  neck  behind,  two  others  on  each  side  of  the  neck,  and  line  running  downwards 
from  before  the  eye,  black;  spot  on  the  top  of  the  head,  the  neck  behind,  back, 
rump  and  tail,  light  rufous  or  cinnamon  color;  under  parts  generally  a  paler  shade 
of  the  same  rufous  as  the  back,  frequently  nearly  white,  but  sometimes  as  dark  as 
the  upper  parts,  and  always  with  more  or  less  numerous  circular  or  oblong  spots  of 
black;  quills  browuish-black,  witli  white  bars  on  their  inner  webs;  tail  tipped  with 
white,  firequently  tinged  with  rafous,  and  with  a  broad  subterminal  band  of  black, 
outer  frequently  white,  tinged  with  ashy,  and  barred  with  black;  bill  light-blue; 
legs  yellow;  back  generally  with  transverse  stripes  of  black,  but  frequently  with 
very  few,  or  entirely  without;  rufous  spot  on  the  head,  variable  in  size,  end  some- 
times wanting. 

Younger  Male Upper  parts  as  above;  wing  coverts  and  tail  ferruginous  red, 

with  numerous  transverse  bands  of  brownish-black;  under  parts  with  numerous 
longitudinal  stripes,  and  on  the  sides  with  transverse  bands  of  brownish-black; 
external  feathers  of  the  tail  palest;  broad  subterminal  band  on  the  tail,  obscure  or 
wanting. 

Young.  —  All  the  rufous  parts  of  the  plumage  with  wider  transverse  bands  of 
brownish-black;  wing  coverts,  dark  bluish -cinereous,  with  large  circular  spots 
of  black;  under  parts  with  longitudinal  ptripcd,  and  large  circula'  spots  of  black; 
iris  very  dark  hazel. 

Tolal  length,  eleven  to  twelve  inches;  wing,  seven  to  seven  and  a  half;  tail,  five 
to  five  and  a  half  inches. 

This  beautiful  little  hawk  is  a  summer  inhabitant  of  all 
the  New-England  States,  and,  in  the  more  southern  districts, 
a  resident  throughout  the  year.  It  is  not  a  very  common 
species  in  any  but  the  most  northern  sections  of  these 


.«! 


i 


wm 


20 


ORNITEOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


states,  but  in  those  localities  it  is  the  most  abundant  of 
the  birds  of  prey.  I  can  add  but  little  to  Wilson's  descrip- 
tion  that  will  be  of  interest :  it  is  as  follows  :  — 


«  The  halite  and  manners  of  this  bird  are  well  known.    It  flies 
rather  irregularly,  occaaioually  suspending  itself  in  the  au-,  hover- 
ing over  a  particular  spot  for  a  mmute  or  two,  and  then  shooting 
off  in  another  direction.    It  perches  on  the  top  of  a  dead  tree  or 
pole,  in  the  middle  of  a  field  or  meadow,  and,  as  it  alights,  shute  its 
long  wings  so  suddenly  that  they  seem  instantly  to  disappear:  it 
site  here  in  an  almost  perpendicular  position,  sometimes  for  an  hour 
at  a  lime,  frequently  jerking  ite  tail,  and  reconnoitring  the  ground 
below,  in  every  direction,  for  mice,  lizards,  &c.    It  approaches  the 
farmhouse,  particularly  in  the  morning,  skulkmg  about  the  barn- 
yard for  mice  or  young  chickens.     It  frequently  plunges   into 
a  thicket  after  small  birds,  as  if  by  random,  but  always  with  a 
particular,  and  generally  a  fatal  aim.    One  day  I  observed  a  bird 
of  this  species  perched  on  the  highest  top  of  a  large  poplar,  on 
the  skirte  of  the  wood,  and  was  in  the  act  of  raismg  the  gun  to 
my  eye,  when  he  swept  down,  with  the  rapidity  of  an  arrow,  into  a 
thicket  of  briers,  about  thirty  yards  off,  where  I  shot  him  dead, 
and,  on  coming  up,  found  a  small  field-sparrow  quivering  in  his 
grasp.     Both  our  aims  had  been  taken  in  the  same  instant;  and, 
unfortunately  for  him,  both  were  fatal.    It  is  particularly  fond  of 
watching  along  hedge-rows  and  m  orchards,  where  small  birds 
usually  resort.    When  grasshoppers  are  plenty,  they  form  a  con- 
siderable part  of  ite  food. 


) 


THE  SPARROW   HAWK. 


21 


"  Though  small  snakes,  mice,  lizards,  Ac,  are  favorite  morsels 
with  this  active  bird,  yet  we  are  not  to  suppose  it  altogether  desti- 
tute of  delicacy  in  feeding.  It  will  seldom  or  never  eat  of  any 
thing  that  it  has  not  itself  killed ;  and  even  that,  if  not  (as  epicures 
would  term  it)  in  good  eating  order,  is  sometimes  rejected.  A  very 
respectable  friend,  through  the  medium  of  Mr.  Bartram,  informs 
me,  that  one  morning  he  observed  one  of  these  hawks  dart  down 
on  the  ground,  and  seize  a  mouse,  which  he  carried  to  a  fence-pos't, 
where,  after  examining  it  for  some  time,  he  left  it,  and,  a  little 
while  after,  pounced  upon  another  mouse,  which  he  instantly  car- 
ried off  to  his  nest  in  the  hollow  of  a  tree  hard  by.  The  gentle- 
man, anxious  to  know  why  the  hawk  had  rejected  the  first  mouse, 
went  up  to  it,  and  found  it  to  bo  almost  covered  with  lice,  and 
greatly  emaciated.  Here  was  not  only  delicacy  of  taste,  but  sound 
and  prudent  reasoning :  "  If  I  carry  this  to  my  nest,"  thought  he, 
"  it  will  fill  it  with  vermin,  and  hardly  be  worth  eating." 

"The  Blue  Jays  have  a  particular  antipathy  to  this  bird,  and 
frequently  insult  it  by  following  and  imitating  its  notes  so  exactly 
as  to  deceive  even  those  well  acquainted  with  both.  In  return  for 
all  this  abuse,  the  Hawk  contents  himself  with  now  and  then 
feasting  on  the  plumpest  of  his  persecutors,  who  are,  therefore,  in 
perpetual  dread  of  him ;  and  yet,  through  some  strange  infatuation, 
or  from  fear  that,  if  they  lose  sight  of  him,  he  may  attack  them 
unawares,  the  Sparrow  Hawk  no  sooner  appears  than  the  alarm  k 
given,  and  the  whole  posse  of  jays  follow." 

Although  I  have  had  quite  a  number  of  the  eggs  of  this 
bird,  I  have  been  able  to  meet  with  but  one  nest,  notwith- 
standing I  have  repeatedly  searched  for  it  in  many  localities. 
This  was  built  in  a  crow's  nest  of  the  previous  year,  in  a 
hemlock-tree,  about  thirty  feet  from  the  ground.  There 
had  been  apparently  but  few  alterations  of  the  old  nest ; 
these  consisting  principally  of  the  addition  of  a  few  loose 
sticks  and  twigs  to  the  interior  of  the  nest,  making  it 
nearly  a  flat  platform.  The  locality  was  the  valley  of  the 
Magalloway  River,  about  twenty-tive  miles  north  of  Lake 
Umbagog,  Me.  The  eggs  were  four  in  number;  and 
these,  with  severd  other  specimens  collected  in  Upton,  Me., 


" 


22 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


Calais,  Me.,  and  Williamstown,  Mass.,  are  before  me.  I  am 
inclined  to  think,  from  wliat  I  can  learn  from  collectors  and 
others,  that  four  is  the  usual  number  laid  by  this  bird,  — 
probably  seldom  more.  Their  ground-color  varies  from  a 
deep  cream  or  yellowish-buff  to  a  pale  reddish-white :  this 
is  covered,  more  or  less  thickly  in  different  specimens,  with 
spots  and  confluent  blotches  of  reddish-brown  and  Vandyke- 
brown,  or  chocolate.  Their  form  is  nearly  spherical,  being 
but  very  little  pointed  at  either  end.  Their  dimensions 
vary  from  1.40  inch  by  1.15  inch  to  1.30  inch  by  1.13  inch. 
This  species  breeds  later  than  most  of  the  other  birds 
of  prey,  as  the  eggs  which  I  found  in  Maine  on  the  11th  of 
June,  1864,  were  newly  laid.  Tliis  species  usually  nests  in 
a  hollow  tree  or  a  deserted  woodpecker's  nest. 


Suh-Family  Accipitrinje.  —  The  Hawks. 

Form  rather  long  and  Blender;  tail  and  legs  long;  wings  rather  short;  bill  short, 
hooked;  upper  mandible  lobed,  but  not  toothed.  Very  active  and  vigilant,  and  swift 
of  flight;  pursuing  their  prey,  which  consists  of  birds  and  small  quadrupeds,  into 
the  woods  anc  forests. 

ASTUB,  Lao. 

Astur,  Lacepbdb,  Mem.  Inst.,  III.  p.  608. 

The  largest  birds  of  tliis  sub-femily.    General  form  strong,  but  rather  long  and 
Blender;  wing  rather  short;  tail  long  and  broad;  tarsi  long,  covered  in  front  with  / 
rathec  wide  transverse  scales;  toes  and  claws  moderate,  the  latter  fully  curved, 
sharp;  bill  short,  curved;  nostrils  large,  ovate,  inserted  in  the  cere.    This  g«niu 
contains  about  twelve  species  of  all  countries. 

ASTUB  ATEICAPILLUS.— SoBopart*. 

Tha  Goshawk. 

Faloo  atneapmu$,W\\BOH.   Am.  Om.,  VL  80  (1812). 
Filcoregalii,  Temm.    PI.  col.  L  (liv.  84,  about  1827). 
DtBdaiiofiinctam,  Lesson.    Traite  d'Om.,  L  67  (1881). 

DE80RIFTION. 

jlrfuft.— Head  above,  neck  behind,  and  stripe  from  behind  the  eye,  black, 
generally  mor«  or  less  tinged  with  ashy;  other  upper  parts  dark  ashy  bluish  or 
»kte  color,  with  the  shafts  of  the  feathers  black,  and  frequently  with  the  feathers 
narrowly  edged  with  black,  presenting  a  squamate  or  scale-like  appearance;  a  con- 
spicuous stripe  over  the  eye,  and  an  obscure  and  partially  concealed  occipital  and 


BBS 


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I  and 


THE  GOSHAWK. 


28 


nuchal  band,  white;  entire  nndcr  parts  mottled  with  white  and  lipht  ashy-brown; 
every  feather  with  a  1(  ■•^itudinal  line  of  dark -brown  on  its  shaft,  and  with  numerous 
irregular  and  imperfect  transverse  lines  or  narrow  stripes  of  light  ashy-brown,  more 
distinct  and  regular  on  the  abdomen  a^d  tibioj ;  quills  brown,  with  bands  of  a  deeper 
shade  of  the  same  color,  and  of  ashy-white  on  their  inner  webs;  tail  same  color  as 
other  upper  parts;  under  surface  very  pale,  nearly  white,  and  having  about  four 
obscure  bands  of  a  deeper  shade  of  ashy-brown,  and  narrowly  tipped  with  white ; 
under  tail  coverts  white. 

Young.  —  Entire  upper  parts,  including  head,  dark-brown,  with  the  feathers, 
especially  on  the  head  and  neck  behind,  edged  and  spotted  with  light-reddish,  or 
nearly  white ;  tail  light-ashy,  with  about  Ave  wide  and  conspicuous  bands  of  ashy- 
brown,  and  narrowly  tipped  with  ashy-white;  quills  brown,  with  wide  bars  of  a 
darker  shade  of  the  same  color,  and  wide  bands  of  reddish-white  on  their  inner 
webs;  under  parts  white,  generally  tinged  with  yellowish,  and  frequently  with  red- 
dii-h;  every  featlier  with  a  longitudinal  stripe  terminating  in  an  ovate  spot  of  brown; 
sides  and  tibiaj  frequently  with  circular  and  lanceolate  spots  and  irregular  bands 
of  the  same  color,  the  tibia)  generally  very  conspicuously  marked  in  this  manner; 
under  tail  coverts  white,  with  a  few  large  lanceolate  spots  of  brown. 

"Adult.  — hiW  black,  light-blue  at  the  base;  cere  greenish-yellow;  eyebrow 
greenish-blue;  iris  reddish-orange;  feet  yellow. 

"  Temn  jr.  — Bill  as  in  the  adult;  iris  light-yellow;  feet  greenish -yellow."  — 
Audubon. 

Total  length,  female,  twenty-two  to  twenty-four  inches ;  wing  about  fourteen ; 
tail,  ten  and  a  half  to  eleven  inches.  Male,  about  twenty  inches;  wing,  twelve  and 
a  half;  tail,  nine  and  a  half  inches. 

This  liandsome  hawk  .is  a  not  very  common  winter  visitor 
in  the  New-England  States ;  at  least,  such  is  my  observar 
tion,  which  is  corroborated  by  many  others,  although  Mr. 
Verrill,  in  his  catalogue  of  the  birds  of  Maine,*  says  it  is 
common,  and  that  it  breeds  there.  I  have  never  met  with 
a  nest  of  this  species,  and  have  no  authentic  specimen  of 
its  egg  in  my  collection.  In  1864,  a  gentleman  brought 
me  two  eggs  that  he  found  in  a  large  hawk's  nest  in 
Woburn,  Mass.  He  described  the  hawk,  which  he  killed, 
.  and  which  corresponded  pretty  closely  with  that  of  this  bird. 
I  showed  him  mounted  specimens  of  the  Goshawk,  and  he 
thought  them  identical  with  his  bird.  As  there  was  still  a 
doubt  concerning  the  identity  of  the  eggs,  I  did  not  label 
them  as  of  this  species,  and  for  the  same  reason  will  not 
figure  them  in  this  work.    So  far  as  description  goes,  they 

.  are  almost  exactly  like  the  eggs  of  the  Red-tailed  Hawk 

% 

1  Proceedings  Essex  Institute,  vol.  III.  p.  140. 


MM 


»ii)iii«iii— 


^"ttMMriMMi 


24 


ORNITHOLOGY    AND   OOLOGY. 


(^Buteo  horealiB),  but  are  a  little  more  of  a  bluiBh-white  in 
the  ground-color. 

For  some  reason,  this  species  was  quite  abundant  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Boston  in  the  winter  of  1859-GO: 
probably  a  dozen  or  fifteen  specimens  were  sent  to  me  in 
the  different  plumages,  and  I  have  heard  of  many  others 
being  shot  in  the  same  season. 

I  have  had  but  few  opportunities  for  studying  the  habits 
of  this  hawk,  and,  as  my  observations  have  been  very 
meagre,  I  will  give  Audubon's  description,  which,  so  far  as 
my  experience  goes,  is  very  accurate ;  it  is  as  follows :  — 

«  The  flight  of  the  Goshawk  is  extremely  rapid  and  protracted. 
He  sweeps  along  the  margins  of  the  fields,  through  the  woods,  and 
by  the  edges  of  ponds  and  rivers,  with  such  speed  as  to  enable  him 
to  seize  his  prey  by  merely  deviating  a  few  yards  from  his  course ; 
assisting  himself  on  such  occasions  by  his  long  tail,  which,  like  a 
rudder,  he  throws  to  the  right  or  left,  upwards  or  downwards,  \a 
check  his  progress,  or  enable  him  suddenly  to  alter  his  course. 
At  times  he  passes  like  a  meteor  through  the  underwood,  where 
he  secures  squirrels  and  hares  with  ease.     Should  a  flock  of  wUd 
pigeons  pass  him  when  on  these  predatory  excursions,  he  imme- 
diately gives  chase,  soon  overtakes  them,  and,  forcing  his  way  into 
the  very  centre  of  the  flock,  scatters  them  in  confusion,  when  you 
may  see  him  emerging  with  a  bird  m  his  talons,  and  diving  towards 
the  depth  of  the  forest  to  feed  upon  his  victim.    When  travelling, 
he  flies  high,  with  a  constant  beat  of  the  wings,  seldom  movuig  m 
large  circles  like  other  hawks ;  and,  when  he  does  this,  it  is  only 
a  few  times  in  a  hurried  manner,  after  which  he  continues  his 

journey. 

"Along  the  AUantic  Coast,  this  species  follows  the  numerous 
flocks  of  ducks  that  are  found  there  during  the  autumn  and  winter ; 
and  greatly  aids  ui  the  destruction  of  mallards,  teals,  black  ducks, 
and  other  species,  in  company  witii  the  Peregrme  Falcon  {Falco 
anatum).  It  is  a  restiess  bird,  apparently  more  vigilant  and  indus- 
trious than  many  other  hawks,  and  it  seldom  alighta  unless  to 
devour  its  prey ;  nor  can  I  recollect  ever  having  seen  one  aliglM 
for  many  minutes  at  a  time,  without  havmg  a  bird  in  its  talons. 


't^^^^^^^ 


THE   GOSHAWK. 


26 


When  thus  engaged  with  its  prey,  it  stands  nearly  upright ;  and  in 
g^>iiviitl,  when  perched,  it  keeps  itself  more"  erect  than  most  species 
of  hawks.      It  is   extremely  expert   at  catching   snipes   on   the 
wing ;  and  so  well  do  these  birds  know  their  insecurity,  that,  on  its 
approach,  they  prefer  squatting  to  endeavoring  to  escape  by  flight. 
"When   the  passenger  pigeons  are  abundant  in  the  western 
country,  the    Goshawk  follows   their   close  masses,  and   subsists 
upon  them.     A  single  hawk  suffices  to  spread  the  greatest  terror 
among  their  ranks;  and  the  moment  he  sweeps  towards  a  flock, 
the  whole  immediately  dive  into  the  deepest  woods,  where,  not- 
withstanding their  great  speed,  the  marauder  succeeds  in  clutching 
the  fattest.    While  travelling  along  the  Ohio,  I  observed  several 
hawks  of  this  species  in  the  train  of  millions  of  these  pigeons. 
Towards  the  evening  of  the  same  day,  I  saw  one  abandoning  its 
ct^urse  to  give  chase  to  a  large  flock  of  Crow  Blackbirds  ( Quis- 
calus  versicolor),  then  crossing  the  river.     The  hawk  approached 
them  with  the  swiftness  of  an  arrow,  when  the  blackbirds  rushed 
together  so  closely  that  the  flock  looked  like  a  dusky  ball  passing 
through  the  air.     On  reaching  the  mass,  he,  with  the  greatest  ease, 
seized  first  one,  then  another  and  another,  giving  each  a  squeeze 
with  his  talons,  and  suflering  it  to  drop  upon  the  water.     In  this 
manner  he  had  procured  four  or  five,  before  the  poor  birds  reached 
the  woods,  into  which  they  instantly  plunged,  when  he  gave  up  the 
chase,  swept  over  the  water  in  graceful  curves,  and  picked  the  fruita 
of  his  industry,  carrying  each  bird  singly  to  the  shore.    Reader,  is 
this  instinct  or  reason  ? 

"  The  nest  of  the  Goshawk  is  placed  on  the  branches  of  a  tree, 
near  the  trunk  or  main  stem.  It  is  of  great  size,  and  resembles 
that  of  our  crow,  or  some  species  oi  owl ;  being  constructed  of  with- 
ered twigs  and  coarse  grass,  with  a  lining  of  fibrous  strips  of  plants 
resembling  hemp.  It  is,  however,  much  flatter  than  that  of  the 
crow.  In  one  I  found,  in  the  month  of  April,  three  eggs  ready  to 
be  hatched:  they  were  of  a  dull  bluish-white,  sparingly  spotted 
with  light  reddish-brown.  In  another,  which  I  found  placed  on  a 
pine-tree,  growing  on  the  eastern  rocky  bank  of  the  Niagara  River, 
a  few  miles  below  the  great  cataract,  the  lining  was  formed  of 
withered  herbaceous  plants,  with  a  few  feath  •.s :  the  eggs  were 
four  in  number,  of  a  white  color  tinged  with  greenish-blue,  large, 
much  rounded,  and  somewhat  granulated. 


JBMiJWVM 'i^-^^ 


26 


OKNITHOLOOY  AND  OOLOOY. 


« In  another  nest  were  four  young  birds  covered  with  buff-col- 
ored down,  their  legs  and  feet  of  a  pale  yellowish  flesh-color,  the 
bill  light-blue,  and  the  eyes  palc-griiy.  They  differed  greatly  in 
bize,  one  being  quite  small  compared  with  the  rest.  I  am  of 
opinion  that  few  breed  to  the  south  of  the  State  of  Maine." 

I  once  witnessed  an  attempt  of  this  bird  to  capture  a 
common  gray  squirrel,  that  was  quite  interesting  to  the 
beholder,  but  certainly  not  to  the  animal.     While  on  a  col- 
lecting excursion,  a  few  miles  from  Boston,  as  I  was  seated 
beneath  a  huge  oak,  obsemng  the  movements  of  some  small 
birds,  I  heard  the  barking  of  a  squirrel;  and,  while  looking 
for  his  whereabouts,  I  suddenly  heard  a  whistling  sound  as 
of  a  body  falling  through  the  air,  and,  as  quick  as  thought, 
a  Goshawk  struck  on  the  limb,  on  the  spot  where,  a  second 
before,  the  squirrel  had  been  seated :  luckily  for  the  squirrel, 
the  hawk  missed  his  aim,  the  animal  giving  a  sudden  dodge 
beneath  the  limb  the  moment  the  hawk  appeared.    All 
who  are  acquainted  with  the  habits  of  this  quadruped 
know  that  it  is  very  successful  in  dodging  behind  the  limb 
of  a  tree,  and  hugging  i.  closely.     The  hawk  sat  a  few 
moments,  apparently  surprised  at  his  disappointment,  when, 
suddenly  launching  into  the  air,  he  espied  it  beneath  the 
limb,  hugging  for  dear  life.    As  soon  as  he  had  moved, 
the  squirrel  turned  adroitly  on  the  limb,  still  keeping  it 
between  itself  and  its  enemy.     After  several  trials,  the 
hawk  always  alighting  and  remaining  perched  on  the  limb  a 
few  seconds,  he  succeeded,  by  a  dexterous  feint,  in  securing 
his  prey,  when,  on  the  instant,  I  fired,  bringing  the  hawk 
and  his  victim  to  the  ground.    Tlie  hawk  dropped  dead; 
but  the  squirrel,  after  lying  on  the  ground  a  moment,  got 
up,  and  staggered  ofF  beneath  a  pile  of  rocks,  and  I  neither 
saw  nor  heard  any  thing  more  of  it. 

ACCIPITER,  Brwson. 

Aee^iUr,  Bribbom,  Om.,  I.  810  (1780). 

General  fonn  more  slender  and  smaller  than  Attur,  but  otherwise  slmflar;  wings 
thort,  tMl  long,  tarsi  long  and  slender,  frequently  with  the  scales  in  front  nearly 


THE  COOPEB'8   HAWK. 


27 


ob«olete.  Contains  »bout  twenty  gpecieg  of  all  countries,  several  of  which  Intimately 
resemble  each  other.  Colors  in  North-American  species  very  similar  to  each  other, 
especially  in  adult  specimens,  though  they  differ  materially  in  size. 

'  ACCIPITEE  OOOPEEII.  — flonnparto. 

V  The  Cooper's  Hawk.— " 

Faho  Cooptni,  Bonaparte.    Am.  Om.,  II.  1  (1828). 
Falio  StatUeii,  Audubon.    Om.  Biog.,  I.  180  (1881). 

Descbiption. 

Adult.  — neaA  above  brownish-black,  mixed  with  white  on  the  occiput,  other 
upper  parts  dark  ashy-brown,  with  the  shnfts  of  the  feathers  brownish-black ;  an 
obscure  rufous  collar  on  the  neck  behind;  throat  and  under  tail  coverts  white,  the 
fonnorwith  lines  of  dark-brown ;  other  under  parts  transversely  barred  with  lifiht 
rufous  and  white;  quills  ashy-brown,  with  darker  bands,  and  white  irregular 
markings  on  their  inner  webs;  tail  dark  cinereous,  tipped  with  white,  and  with  four 
wide  bands  of  brownish-black. 

Young.  —  Head  and  neck  behind  yellowisl  hito,  tinged  with  rufous,  and  witli 
longitudinal  stripes  and  oblong  spots  of  bro  other  upper  parts  light  amber- 

brown,  with  large  partially  concealed  spots  ai  >ar8  of  white;  upper  tail  coverts 
tipped  with  white;  under  parts  white,  with  narrow  longitudinal  stripes  of  light- 
brown;  tail  as  in  adult;  bill  bluish  horn-color;  tarsi  yellow;  iris  in  adult,  reddish- 
orange  ;  in  young,  bright  yellow. 

Total  length,  male  fifteen  to  sixteen  inches;  wing,  nine;  tail,  eight  inches. 
Female,  total  length,  seventeen  to  eighteen  inches;  wing,  nine  and  a  half  to  ten; 
tail,  nine  inches. 

It  is  a  noticeable  fact  in  the  history  of  many  of  our  birds, 
that  in  diiferent  periods,  from  some  cause  or  other,  many 
species  have  increased  in  number  to  a  remarkable  extent, 
while  others  have  diminished  in  like  proportion.  Some 
have  moved  from  sections  in  which  they  were  for  years 
common  residents,  to  others  in  which  they  were,  compara- 
tively, strangers. 

The  Cooper's  or  Stanley  Hawk  of  Audubon  has  had  one 
of  these  changes ;  and  throughout  New  England,  where  it 
was  formerly  a  comparatively  rare  species,  it  is  now  one  of 
the  most  abundant  of  our  birds  of  prey. 

The  habits  of  the  Cooper's  Hawk  are  generally  well 
known.  It  is  the  smallest  of  those  known  by  the  name  of 
"  Hen  Hawk ; "  and  the  mischief  it  does  among  domestic 
poultry  well  earns  for  it  this  title. 


...  ,-4,4 


28  ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 

Powerful,  active,  and  gifted  with  great  rapidity  of  flif^l.t, 
he  i8  able  to  attack  and  conquer  birds  and  annuals  greatl/ 
his  superior  in  size  and  weight.  The  Common  Hare  (J.epu» 
AmericanuB)  often  falls  a  victim  to  his  voracity.  Ducks, 
glTse,  squLlB,  and  small  birds,  are  destroyed  by  Inm; 
and  I  have  known  of  his  capturing  .nd  eating  snakes  and 
other  reptiles,  and  even  grasshoppers  and  crickets. 

In  hunting  for  prey,  he  usually  flies  just  above  the  trees 
i„  the  forest,  and  quite  near  the  earth  in  the  open  countiT- 
His  flight  consists  of  a  rapid  succession  of  beatings  of  tho 
wings,  with  intervals  of  equal  periods  of  soarings.     Ou 
discovering  a  bird  or  other  object  that  ho  may  wish  to 
c  pture  he  immediately  gives  chase.    If  the  bird  takes  to 
the  foliLge  of  the  trees,  he  immediately  follows,  turmng  at 
Ivery  turn,  doubling  and  twisting  through  the  trees  with 
wonderful  speed  and  success ;  and  the  chase  is  usually  but 
Ivlry  short  one  indeed  before  he  alights  to  feed  on  the 
ouarry  that  he  has  secured.  ,     ,     xu  4. 

He  is  very  destructive  to  the  flocks  of  young  ducks  that 
breed  in  the  wilder  districts  of  the  country  I  re»«-^«; 
an  instance  of  one  of  his  raids  on  these  birds  that  is  not 

without  interest.  .      ...       -i^^ 

While  on  a  hunting  and  collecting  excursion  m  the  wilds 
of  Maine,  up  the  Magalloway  River,- a  beautiful  stream 
that  empties  into  the  Androscoggin,  near  Lake  Umbagog,  - 
I  wandered  down  the  river  banks,  that  are,  for  nearly  the 
entire  length  of  the  stream,  fringed  with  a  thick  growth  of 
rees,  away  from  the  camp  perhaps  a  mile     I  was  -atohing 
an  old  Black  Duck  (^«a«  ob»cura)  and  her  brood  of  eight 
"flappers"  disporting  themselves  in  the  water,  and  impar 
tientirwaiting  for  an  opportunity  for  a  shot;    or   fand 
reader,  I  can  assure  you  that  a  "broiled  flapper,    or  wild 
duck  about  half  grown,  is  a  delicacy  which,  once  enjoyed,  is 
eagerly  sought  for  by  the  frequenters  of  the  wilderness     Ab 
I  was  creeping  cautiously  within  shot  of  the  birds,  I  sud- 
denly heard  a  "  ^k"  and  splash,  and  the  whole  bevy  waa 


THE  cooper's   hawk. 


3d 


. 


gone.  At  that  instant,  a  Cooper's  Hawk,  that  had  evidently 
just  made  a  swoop  at  the  flock  and  missed  it,  alighted  on  a 
small  tree  that  hung  over  tho  water,  and  remained  perfectly 
motioidess.  Now,  when  man  attempts  to  secure  any  of 
these  young  ducks,  tho  parent  almost  always  flies  off,  while 
the  young  dive  and  swim  under  water  to  the  hanks  of  the 
stream  or  pond  whore  they  may  bo.  When  a  bird  of  prey 
makes  his  appearance,  the  whole  family  dives  beneath  the 
surface,  and  swims  off;  the  mother  in  one  direction,  tho 
young  in  another.  I  have  noticed  the  same  fact  several 
times,  and  conclude  that  tho  parent,  who  frequently  makes 
her  appearance  above  the  surface,  does  so  because  she  is 
capable  of  enduring  submersion  bettor  than  her  young, 
and  shows  herself  often,  a  little  farther  from  her  offspring 
every  time,  until  she  had  led  their  pursuer  away  from 
them ;  giving  them,  in  the  mean  time,  a  chanoe  to  swim  off, 
and  conceal  themselves.  The  hawk,  in  this  instance,  was 
not  to  be  deceived.  He  followed  the  parent  but  once,  and 
then  immediately  returned  to  his  perch.  The  banks  of  the 
river  at  this  place  were  steep,  there  was  no  vegetation 
growing  in  the  water,  and  the  chances  for  obtaining  a  meal 
from  one  of  the  young  ducks  were  decidedly  in  the  hawk's 
favor. 

The  young  ducks  are  very  expert  divers.  They  have  the 
faculty  of  sinking  beneath  the  surface  at  any  alarm,  and 
will  remain  there  perhaps  half  a  minute.  Unfortunately 
for  them,  they  cannot  gwim  beneath  the  surface  a  great 
distance,  and  generally  come  up  quite  near  the  place  where 
they  went  down.  The  hawk  sat  attentively  inspecting  the 
river  in  different  places ;  and,  as  one  of  the  young  birds 
made  its  appearance,  ho  marked  it  for  his  victim.  The 
moment  it  rose  to  the  surface,  he  made  a  swoop  for  it, 
when,  of  course,  it  dove.  This  was  repeated  several  times, 
the  young  duck  remaining  beneath  the  water  a  shorter 
length  of  time  at  each  dive.  Soon  it  was  manifest  that  the 
hawk  would   obtain   his  quarry,  when,  as   ho   flew  for 


ao 


ORNITHOLOOY   AND   OOLOOY. 


tho  duck  tho  last  timo,  I  pulled  trigger  on  him;  for  wo  aro 
all  onnneutly  soUwb,  and  when  ouo  of  tlio  lower  animals, 
as  wo  regard  them,  interferes  with  us  in  our  pluusuios  or 
comforts,  oven  if  they  aro  fulfilling  the  dictates  of  tlioir 
natures,  wo  brush  them  from  existence,  as  if  toe  wore  tho 
only  rightful  possessors  of  this  beautiful  world.  Fortu- 
nately for  the  hawk,  unfortunately  for  tho  llappor,  and 
much  to  my  chagrin,  tho  cap  failed  to  explode,  and  tho  poor 
duck  was  borne  off  for  food  for  tho  family  of  the  hawk. 

The  Cooper's  Hawk  breeds  in  all  tho  New-England  States, 
and  is  partial  to  no  particular  locality.  I  have  found  tlie 
nest  in  sections  not  a  mile  from  the  seacoast;  in  the  deepost 
woods  of  Northern  Maine;  and  have  had  tho  eggs  sent  rae 
from  different  localities  in  Rhode  Island,  Connecticut,  and 
New  Hampshire. 

Tho  nest  of  this  species  is  more  often  found  than  that  of 
any  other.     In  my  collecting  trips,  pny  experience  has  boon 
that  I  have  found  certainly  two  nests  of  this  to  one  of  all 
others.     Audubon  says,  "  Tho  nest  is  usually  placed  in  tho 
forks  of  the  branch  of  an  oak-tree,  towards  its  extremity. 
In  its  general  appearance,  it  resembles  that  of  the  common 
crow,  for  which  I  have  several  times  mistaken  it.    It  is  com- 
posed externally  of  numerous  crooked  sticks,  and  has  a  slight 
lining  of  grasses  and  a  few  feathers."    Thh  does  not  agree 
with  my  observation  ;  for,  in  great  numben  uf  nests  that  I 
have  examined,  in  which  I  have  found  no  groat  variation  in 
character,  they  were  almost  invariably  in  a  fork  of  a  tall 
tree  near  tho  top,  — in  three  cases  out  of  five  in  the  differ- 
ent pines.    They  were  large,  bulky  affairs,  constructed  of 
twigs  and  sticks,  some  of  them  nearly  half  an  inch  in 
diameter:   they  were  decidedly  hollowed,  and  often  lined 
with  leaves  and  the  loose  bark  of  the  cedar.    Tho  eggs  of 
this  species  vary  in  number  from  two  to  four.    I  do  not 
remember  ever  having  found  more  than  four,  which  number 
is  usually  laid.    Their  ground-color  is  a  dirty  bluish-white, 
with  often  thinly  scattered  spots  of  brown,  or  obscure 


TUB  8HARP-6UINNK0   HAWK. 


81 


blotohes  aiul  inarkingH  of  a  sliade  darker  than  tlio  ground- 
color of  tho  egg.  A  grout  miinlx.'r  of  HpecinioiiH  in  my  col- 
lection cxhil)it  a  variation  in  diinmisionH  of  fVom  1.82  inch 
to  2  incl»08  in  length,  by  from  l.oO  inch  to  1.62  iit  breadth. 
Tho  average  dimensions  are  about  1.78  inch  by  1,52  inch. 
Tho  breeding  season  varies  considerably  with  this  species, 
even  in  the  same  latitude.  1  have  found  nests  with  eggs  an 
early  us  tho  fust  week  in  May,  and  as  late  as  the  first  week 
in  June.  Usually  the  eggs  are  laid  before  the  20th  of  May 
in  MassachuHOtts.  Tho  season  for  the  northern  district  of 
Now  England  seems  to  bo  from  ono  to  two  weeks  later  than 
this  ;  that  of  tho  southern  district,  about  a  week  (jarlier. 

A  pair  of  birds  that  nested  in  Newton,  Mass.,  in  tho 
summer  of  1806,  wore  robbed  of  their  eggs  four  times  in 
tho  season.  They  built  different  nests  in  tho  same  grove, 
and  laid  in  tho  four  litters  four,  four,  five,  and  three  eggs 
respectively.  Tho  eggs  of  the  last  littor  were  very  small ; 
but  little  larger  than  tho  eggs  of  the  Sharp-shiiuied  Hawk. 

ICOIMTES  FUSCOS.  — CmW.n. 
/  The  SharpHihiiuied  Hawk.— 

Fakofuiau  et  dubiui,  Gm.    Syst.  Nat,  I.  280,  281  (1788). 

Acci/nter  Uriiitut,  Vieillot.    Ois.  d'Am.  Sept.,  I.  43  (1807). 

Falco  vclvx  et  Penntylmniau,  Wilson.    Am.  Orn.,  V.  116,  and  VI.  p.  13  (1812). 

Sparvitu  lineatut,  Vieillot.     Ency.  Meth.,  III.  1260  (1823). 

yi$u*  M't{/ini,  Losgon.    Traite  d'Om.,  I.  68  (1831). 

Description. 

Adult.  — SmaW;  toil  rather  long;  legs  and  toes  slender;  entire  upper  part* 
brownish-block,  tinged  with  ashy;  occiput  mixed  with  white;  throat  and  under  tail 
coverts  white,  tho  lormerwith  lines  of  black  oi.  tho  shafts  of  tho  feathers;  other 
under  parts  fine  light  Aifous,  deepest  on  the  tibia),  and  with  transverse  bands 
of  white;  shafts  of  the  feathers  with  lines  of  dark-brown;  tail  ashy-brown  tipped 
with  white,  and  with  about  four  bands  of  brownish-black;  quills  brownish-black, 
with  bands  of  a  darker  shade,  and  of  white  on  their  inner  webs;  secondaries  and 
tertiaries  with  large  partially  concealed  spots  of  white. 

Young — Entire  upper  parts  dull  umber-brown,  tinged  with  ashy;  neck  behind 
mixed  with  white;  greater  wing  coverts  and  shorter  quills  with  largo  partially  con- 
cealed spots  of  white;  under  parts  white,  with  longitudinal  stripes  and  circular  and 
ovate  spots  of  reddish-brown,  changing  into    transverse    bands   on  Uio    flanks 


l!iP'l""*PW»* 


i 


32  ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 

and  tibi«,  under  tail  coverts  white,  bill  dark  bluish  horn-color,  cere  and  tarsi 

^"S/tV^f  Its::  twelve  to  fourteen  inches,  .ing  seven  and  a  half  to 
eightTtail.  «i-  and  a  half  to  seven  mches.  Male,  Un  to  eleven  mches,  wmg,  s.x 
to  six  and  a  half,  tail,  five  to  five  and  a  half  mches. 

This  woll-known  little  species  is  a  general  and  common 
Bummer  inliabitant  of  all  the  New-England  States:  it 
makes  its  appearance  with  the  arrival  of  the  earliest  fliglit 
of  the  smaller  migratory  birds  in  spring,  and  remains  until 
the  latter  part  of  autumn ;  and,  in  the  southern  portions  of 
these  States,  even  throughout  the  winter.  The  habits  of  the 
bird  are  so  well  described  by  Audubon,  that  I  cannot  do 
better  than  include  the  description  here.    He  says :  — 

"While  in  search  of  prey,  the   Sharp-shinned  Hawk  passes 
over  the  country,  now  at  a  moderate  height,  now  close  over  the 
land,  in  so  swift  a  manner,  that,  although  your  eye  has  marked  it, 
you  feel  surprised  that  the  very  next  moment  it  has  dashed  off,  and 
is  far   awav.    In  fact,  it  is  usually  seen  when  least  expected, 
and  almost"  alwavs  but  for  a  few  moments,  unless  when  it  has 
procured  some  prey,  and  is  engaged  in  feeding  upon  it.    The  kind 
of  vaciUation  or  wavering  with  which  it  moves  through  the  air 
appears  perfectly  adapted  to  its  wants  ;  for  it  undoubtedly  enables 
this  little  warrior  to  watch  and  to  see  at  a  single  quick  glance  ot  m 
keen  eyes  every  object,  whether  to  the  right  or  to  the  left,  as  it  pur- 
sues its  course.     It  advances  by  sudden  dashes,  as  if  impetuosity 
of  movement  were  essential  to  its  nature,  and  pounces  upon  and 
strikes  such  objects  as  best  suit  its  appetite,  but  so  very  suddenly 
that  it  appears  quite  hopeless  for  any  of  them  to  try  to  escape. 
Many  have  been  the  times,  reader,  when  watching  this  vigilant, 
active,  and  industrious  bird,  I  have  seen  it  plunge  headlong  among 
the  briery  patches  of  one  of  our  old  fields,  in  defiance  of  all  thorny 
obstacles  ;  and,  passing  through,  emerge  on  the  other  side,  bearing 
off  with  exultation  in  its  sharp  claws  a  sparrow  or  finch,  which  it 
had  surprised  when  at  rest     At  other  times,  I  have  seen  two  or 
three  of  these  hawks,  acting  in  concert,  fly  at  a  Golden-wmged 
Woodpecker  while  alighted  against  the  bark  of  a  tree,  where  it 
thought  itself  secure,  but  was  suddenly  clutched  by  one  of  the 
hawks  throwing,  as  it  were,  its  long  legs  with  the  quickness  of 


I 


I  ii 


I! 


< 


L 


Ni 


i   1 


iJHAKi--sHi>NKD   IIawk,  Accipiter  Juscus.     Bouaparte. 


i^mW-^i.i-iU-"-i!Bi>    ■ 


.,-,riM^(tt--^'->^^t'- 


%ry;im^mmaiiMn--\imwrvmwm-iimmwmm« 


^SwHIBIS'' 


L'      ' 


THE   SHARP-SHINNED   HAWK. 


83 


thought,  protruding  its  sharp  talons,  and  thrusting  tliem  into  the 
back  of  the  devoted  bird,  while  it  was  endeavoring  to  elude 
the  harassing  attacks  of  another,  by  hopping  and  twisting  around  the 
tree.  Then  down  to  the  ground  assailants  and  assailed  would 
fall,  the  woodpecker  still  offering  great  resistance,  until  a  second 
hawk  would  also  seize  upon  it,  and,  with  claws  deeply  thrust  into 
its  vitals,  put  an  end  to  its  life,  when  both  the  marauders  would 
at  once  commence  their  repast." 

Nuttall  informs  us  that  "  descending  furiously  and  blindly 
upon  its  quarry,  a  young  hawk  of  this  species  broke  through 
the  glass  of  the  greenhouse  at  the  Cambridge  Botanic 
Garden  ;  and,  fearlessly  passing  through  a  second  glass  par- 
tition, he  was  only  brought  up  by  the  third,  and  caught, 
though  little  stunned  by  the  effort.  His  wing-feathers  were 
much  torn  by  the  glass,  and  his  flight  in  this  way  so 
impeded  as  to  allow  of  his  being  approached." 

Whilst  travelling  to  some  point  at  a  considerable  distance, 
the  Sharp-shinned  Hawk  flies  high,  though  in  a  desultory 
manner,  with  irregular  quick  flappings  of  its  wings ;  and  at 
times,  as  if  to  pause  for  a  while  and  examine  the  objects 
below,  moves  in  short  and  unequal  circles,  after  which  it  is 
seen  to  descend  rapidly,  and  then  follow  its  course  at  the 
height  of  only  a  few  feet  from  the  ground,  visiting,  as  it 
\i'ere,  every  clump  of  low  bushes  or  brier  patches  likely  to 
be  inhabited  by  the  smaller  birds,  on  wuloh  it  principally 
feeds.  Again,  after  having  satisfied  its  hunger,  it  at  times 
rises  to  a  great  height,  and  indeed  now  and  then  is  scarcely 
discernible  from  the  ground. 

Notwithstanding  the  comparative  abundance  of  this  spe- 
cies, its  nest,  until  quite  recently,  has  been  quite  rarely 
found.  Audubon  met  with  but  three,  and  neither  Wilson 
nor  Nuttall  ever  saw  one.  I  have  been  so  fortunate  as  to 
find  several,  two  of  which  had  in  each  four  eggs.  They 
were  built  in  the  forks  of  pine-trees,  about  twenty-five  feet 
from  the  ground :  they  were  loosely  constructed  of  sticks 
and  twigs,  were  not  much  hollowed,  and  were  lined  with 


.  -iii^He^WMWIW'f'^'PC'tfJWff--- 


84 


OBMTHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


smaller  twigs  and  a  few  leaves.  Fourteen  eggs  in  my  col- 
lection, from  different  parts  of  New  England,  exlnbit  but 
slight  variations;  thoy  are  of  a  bluish-white  color,  and 
covered  at  the  larger  end  with  spots  and  blotches  of 
chocolate-brown :  in  some  specimens  these  blotches  are  con- 
fluent, making  a  ring  near  the  large  end ;  ^  others  are 
covered  nearly  over  their  entire  surface  with  these  markings. 
Tlie  form  of  the  egg  is  nearly  spherical ;  the  length  varying 
from  1.50  inch  to  1.23  inch,  and  the  breadth  from  1.24 
inch  to  1.06  inch.  Average  dimensions  about  1.40  inch  by 
1.20  inch.  I  have  found  the  eggs  as  early  as  the  10th  of 
May;  but  usually  they -are  not  laid  before  the  20th,  in  the 
latitude  of  Massachusetts.  The  same  nest  is  occupied  by 
the  parent  birds  for  several  years,  and  the  female  is  a  per- 
sistent layer.  A  case  came  to  my  knowledge  in  the  spring 
of  1864,  when  the  nest  was  robbed  three  times:  fourteen 
eggs  were  removed ;  and,  if  the  female  had  not  been  killed 
when  the  last  eggs  were  taken,  she  would  probably  have 
laid  another  litter,  as  there  were  several  found  in  her 
nearly  formed.  Both  sexes,  as  with  nearly  all  the  other 
birds  of  prey,  incubate 


f 


Sub-Family  Bdteonin^.  —  The  Buzzard-Hawla. 

General  form  heavy;  flight  vigorous  and  long  continued,  but  not  so  rapid  m  in 
the  preceding  sub-families.    Subsist  mainly  on  small  quadrupeds  and  reptiles. 

BUTEO,  CuviKR. 

Buteo,  CtrviKR,  Regne  Animal,  I.  828  (1817). 

Bill  short,  wide  at  base;  edges  of  upper  mandible  lobed;  nostrils  large,  ovate, 
wings  long,  wide,  fourth  and  fifth  quills  usually  longest;  tail  moderate,  rather  wide; 
tarsi  moderate,  robust,  with  transverse  scales  before  and  behind,  laterally  with  small 
circular  and  hexaganal  scales;  toes  moderate,  or  rather  short;  claws  strong.  Con- 
tains about  thirty  species,  inhabiting  all  countries. 

1  The  specimen,  fig.  8,  plate  I.,  is  marked  with  a  ring  of  confluent  blotches  at  thn 
wmaUer  end,  a  peculiarity  rarely  met  with. 


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THE   RED-TAILED   HAWK. 


86 


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BUTEO  BOBE'US Vieillot. 

XThe  Bed-tailed  Hawk.- 

Falco  horeali$,  Ifverianut,  and  Jamaiceiuia,  Gra.    Syst  Nat,  I.  288  (1788). 

Fako  aquiliniu,  Bartram.    Trav.,  p.  290  (17»1). 

£utto  ferrugineioaudiu,  Vieillot     Ois.  d'Am.  Sept,  I.  82  (1807). 

AccipiUr  r^Hcaudut,  Vieillot    Oi«.  d'Am.  Sept.,  I.  43  (1807). 

Buteo  fulvotu  and  Americaruta,  Vieillot    Nouv.  Diet,  IV.  472,  477  (1810). 

Description. 

^rfuft.  — lail  bright  rufous,  narrowly  tipped  with  white,  and  having  a  subtcrmi- 
nal  band  of  black;  entire  upper  parU  dark  umber-brown,  lighter  and  witli  fulvom 
edgings  on  Uie  head  and  neck;  upper  tail  coverts  yellowish-white,  with  rufous  and 
brown  spota  and  bands;  throat  white,  with  narrow  longitudinal  stupes  of  brown; 
otlicr  under  pArts  pale  yellowish-white,  with  longitudinal  lines  and  spots  of  reddish- 
brown,  tinged  with  ftilvous;  most  numerous  on  the  breast,  and  forming  an  irregular 
band  across  the  abdomen;  under  tail  coverts  and  tibi*  generally  clear  yellowish- 
white,  unspotted,  but  the  latter  frequently '  spotted  and  transversely  barred  with 
light  rufous;  under  surface  of  tail  silvery-white. 

rouny.  — Tail  usually  ashy-brown,  with  numerous  bands  of  a  darker  nhade  of 
the  same  color,  and  narrowly  tipped  with  white;  upper  !ail  coverts  white,  with 
bands  of  dark-brown;  other  upper  parts  dark  umber-brown,  many  feathers  edged 
with  dull  white  and  with  partinlly  concealed  spota  of  white;  entire  under  parts 
white,  sides  of  the  breast  with  large  ovate  spots  of  brownish-black,  and  with  a  wide 
irregular  band  on  the  abdomen,  composed  of  spots  of  the  same  color;  under  tail 
coverts  and  tibiae  with  irregular  transverse  stripes  and  sagittate  spots  of  dark-brown ; 
bill,  blue-black;  cere  and  sides  of  the  mouth,  yellow  Unged  with  green;  legs  yellow; 
iris  pale  amber. 

Total  length  of  female,  about  twenty-three  inches;  wing,  fifteen  to  sixteen 
inches;  tail,  eight  and  a  half  inches.  Male,  nineteen  to  twenty-one  inches;  wing, 
fourteen  inches;  tail,  seven  and  a  half  to  eight  inches. 

The  Red-tailed  Hawk  is  a  common  resident  of  all  the 
New-England  States  throughout  the  year.  Its  habits  are 
BO  well  known  that  a  description  here  is  hardly  needed. 
Every  one  has  noticed  this  hawk  up  in  the  air,  at  a  consider- 
able height,  soaring  in  extended  circles,  and  uttering  the 
oft-repeated  cry,  kae,  kae,  kae,  as  he  examines  the  earth 
beneath  him  for  prey.  Audubon  was  of  the  opinion,  that 
the  bird  emitted  this  shriek  for  the  purpose  of  attracting  the 
notice  of  birds  and  animals  beneath,  and  causing  them  to 
fly  to  a  place  of  concealment,  thus  giving  him  a  knowledge 
of  their,  whereabouts.  This  supposition  is  not  improbable; 
for  he  is  often  observed  descending  with  great  rapidity 
towards  a  bird  that  has  taken  flight  at  his  outcries. 


r 


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mn^ 


-JnBBuai 


86 


OBNITHOLOOY  AND   OOLOGY. 


This  Hawk  is  very  destructive  among  domestic  poultry, 
and  is  gonoraliy  regarded  with  dislike.  I  have  known  of 
instances  when  he  has  almost  completely  depopulated  a 
poultry-yard  before  he  could  be  captured. 

It  is  the  custom  of  the  Hawk,  when  he  has  once  had  a 
taste  of  a  flock  of  fowls,  to  visit  it  regularly  every  day  at 
about  the  same  time;  sometimes  iu  the  afternoon,  ofteuer 
in  the  morning. 

The  moment  his  cry  is  heard,  the  shrill  alarm  of  the  cock 
is  given,  when  the  hens  run  hither  and  thither,  cackling, 
and  adding  to  their  own  aflright ;  the  guinoorfowls  rattle 
their  discordant  notes ;  the  mother  with  her  chickens  becomes 
almost  frantic  in  iier  efforts  to  protect  her  young  from 
the  inevitable  destroyer.  In  the  midst  of  this  clatter,  flie 
pirate  who  has  been  its  sole  cause  comes  on  eager  wing, 
and,  selecting  the  fattest  of  the  flock,  pounces  upon  it,  and, 
with  scarcely  an  effort,  bears  it  off  to  feast  his  mate  and 
young.  The  Ruffed  Grouse  (Bonasa  umhellus)  and  Com- 
mon Hare  {Lepus  Americanus)  botli  fall  victims;  and  the 
number  he  destroys  is  very  great. 

The  Red-Tailed  Hawk  builds  its  nest  in  a  lofty  fork  of  a 
large  tree.  The  nest  is  one  of  the  largest  of  our  rapacious 
birds,  —  in  one  case,  to  my  knowledge,  exceeding  two  feet 
in  width  and  twenty  inches  in  depth.  It  is  constructed  of 
large  sticks  and  twigs ;  is  but  slightly  hollowed ;  and  is 
lined  with  smaller  twigs,  leaves,  and  moss.  The  eggs  are 
generally  three  in  number,  seldom  more:  their  ground- 
color is  a  dirty  yellowish-white,  with  blotches  of  a  yellow- 
ish-brown, and  sometimes  distinct  blotches  of  a  darker 
brown.  Their  form  varies  from  nearly  spherical  to  ovoidal ; 
but  they  are,  in  general,  nearly  as  large  at  one  end  as  at  the 
other.  Dimensions  of  specimens  vary  from  2.12  to  2.25 
inches  in  length,  by  from  1.68  to  2  inches  in  breadth. 

Three  eggs  that- 1  took  from  a  nest  in  the  southern  part 
of  Ohio,  early  in  the  month  of  April,  measure  2.18  by  1.62 ; 
2.14  by  1.70;  and  2.20  by  2  inches,  —  averaging  a  little 


1 


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rw«caaitiBiailgft'iTi.fi 


■ '  -.'(B'Kw^airf^-?-^'* 


J— I — 


W«i«MMM«Mi«nMi^  < 


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. 


TUB   KEU-8H0ULDGRE0   HAWK. 


87 


umaller  than  specimens  collected  in  New  England.  Those 
oggs  must  have  been  laid  by  tlio  2oth  of  March.  In  Now 
England,  they  are  seldom  laid  before  the  last  week  in  April 
to  the  first  week  iu  May. 

BOTEO  LimA.'tVa.—JardiHt. 
The  B«d-ihoaldersd  Hawk. " 

Falco  Uneatm  and  hyemalu,  Gm.    Syst.  N  at.,  I.  268,  274  ( 1788). 
I'alco  buteoidet,  Nuttgll.    Man.,  I.  100  (Ist  edition,  1882). 

Dkscbiption. 

Adult.— ^y^mg  rovertg,  from  iU  flexure  to  tlie  body,  fine  briglit  rufous;  hreast 
and  other  lower  part«  of  tlie  body  paler  orang.'  rufous,  many  feathera  with  tranc\  cne 
bars  and  spots  of  white,  which  predominate  on  the  abdomen  i  >d  under  tail  covert*; 
entire  upper  parte  brown;  on  the  head  raxe-  with  rui.  uh,  and  with  white  spote  on 
the  wing  coverts  and  shorter  quills  and  rump ;  quills  brownish-black,  with  white  spots 
on  their  outer  webs,  and  with  bars  of  a  lighter  shade  of  brown  and  of  while  on 
their  inner  webs;  tail  brownish-black,  with  about  five  transverse  bandi  of  white, 
•nd  tipped  with  white. 

rot/«^.— Entire  upper  parts  yellowish-white,  with  longitudinal  stripes  and 
oblong  gpoU  of  dark-brown ;  throat  dark  brown;  upper  parte  lighter  ashy-brown, 
with  mi.ny  partially  concealed  spote  and  bars  of  white;  quills  dark-brown,  with 
wide  transverse  bars  of  rufous  and  white  on  both  webs;  tail  ashy-brown,  with 
numerous  bands  of  pale-brownish  and  rufous  white;  tail  beneath  silvery-white; 
bill  light-blue  at  the  base,  bluish-black  at  the  tip;  cere,  basal  margin  of  the  bill, 
edges  of  the  eyelids  and  the  feet,  bright-yellow;  iris  hazel. 

Total  length,  female,  twenty -one  to  twenty-three  inches;  wing,  fourteen;  tail, 
nine  inches.    Male,  eighteen  to  twenty  inches;  wing,  twelve;  tail,  eight  inches. 

This  bird  is  a  rather  common  resident  of  all  New  Eng- 
land throughout  the  year.  Its  habits  are  so  nearly  like 
those  of  the  preceding,  that  I  can  add  nothing  to  that  I 
have  already  written. 

The  best  account  of  the  bird's  habits  in  the  breeding 
season,  that  I  remember,  is  given  by  Audubon.  It  is  as 
follows :  — 

"  This  bird  is  one  of  the  most  noisy  of  its  genus,  during  spring 
especially,  when  it  would  be  difficult  to  approach  the  skirts  of  woods 
bordering  a  large  plantation  without  hearing  its  discordant  shrill 
notes,  —  ka-hee,  ka-hee,  —  as  it  is  seen  sailing  in  rapid  circles  at  a 
rery  great  elevation.     Its  ordmary  flight  is  even  and  protracted, 


J— 1 


mimmMam 


T 


88 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOOT. 


:>  I! 


excepting  when  it  is  describing  the  circles  just  mentioned,  when  it 
often  dives  luul  gambols.  It  is  «  more  general  inlialntant  of  the 
wootls  than  most  of  our  other  species,  particularly  during  the  sum- 
mer, and  in  autumn  and  winter ;  now  and  then  only,  in  early  spring, 
showing  iUelf  in  the  open  grounds,  and  alwut  the  vicinity  of  sniiill 
lakcR,  for  the  purpose  of  securing  red-winged  starlings  and  wounded 

ducks. 

"  The  inierior  of  woods  seems,  as  I  have  said,  the  fittest  haunts 
for  the  Red-shouldered  Hawk.     He  sails  through  them  a  few  yards 
above  the  ground,  and  suddenly  alighU  on  the  low  branch  of  a 
tree  or  the  top  of  a  dead  stump,  from  which  he  silently  watches, 
in  an  erect  posture,  for  the  appearance  of  squirrels,  ujwn  which 
ho  pounces  directly,  and  kills   in  an  instant,  afterwards  devour- 
ing them  on  the  ground.    If  accidentally  discovered,  he  essays  to 
remove  the  squirrel ;  but,  finding  this  difficult,  he  drags  it,  partly 
through  the  air  and  partly  along  the  ground,  to  some  short  distance, 
until  he  conceives  himself  out  of  sight  of  the  intruder,  when  he 
again  commences  feeding.    The  eating  of  a  whole  squirrel,  which 
this  bird  often  devours  at  one  meal,  so  gorges  it,  that  I  have  seen 
it  in  this  state  almost  unable  to  fly,  and  with  such  an  extraordinary 
protuberance  on  its  breast  as  seemed  very  unnatural,  and  very 
injurious  to  the  beauty  of  form  which  the  bird  usually  diHF)lays. 
On  all  occasions  such  as  I  have  described,  when  the  bird  is  so 
gorged,  it  is  approached  with  the  greatest  ease.     On  the  contrary, 
when  it  is  in  want  of  food,  it  requires  the  greatest  caution  to  get 
within  shooting  distance  of  it. 

"  At  the  approach  of  spring,  this  species  begins  to  pair ;  and  its 
flight  is  accompanied  with  many  circlings  and  zigzag  nnotions, 
during  which  it  emits  its  shrill  cries.  The  m'vle  is  particularly 
noisy  at  this  time.  He  gives  chase  to  all  other  hawks,  returns  to 
the  branch  on  which  his  mate  has  chanced  to  perch,  and  caresses 
her.  This  happens  about  the  beginning  of  March.*  The  spot 
adapted  for  a  nest  is  already  fixed  upon,  and  the  fabric  is  half 
finished.  The  top  of  a  tall  tree  appears  to  be  preferred  by  this 
hawk,  as  I  have  found  its  nest  more  commonly  placed  there,  not 
far  from  the  edges  of  woods  bordering  plantations. 

"When  one  ascends  to  the  nest  (which,  by  the  way,  is  not 

J  May  in  New  England. 


Mm 


'» 


THE   RED-HHOIJLDERED   JIAWK. 


80 


always  Rn  may  matter,  an  our  beech-treeg  are  not  only  vory 
smooth,  but  frequently  without  iiny  Iwughs  to  a  considcrublo  tl'm- 
tance  from  the  ground,  as  well  oa  of  rather  large  nizo),  the  female 
bird,  if  Hhe  happens  to  be  sitting,  flies  off  silontly,  and  alighUt  on  a 
neighboring  tree -to  wait  the  result;  but  should  the  mule,  who 
supplies  her  with  food,  and  assisU  in  incubation,  be  there,  or  make 
his  ap|)eiiranco,  he  immediately  seU  up  a  hue  and  cry,  and  plunges 
toward  the  assailant  with  such  violence  as  to  astonish  him. 

"  When,  on  several  occasions,  I  have  had  the  tree,  on  which  the 
nest  was  placed,  cut  down,  I  have  observed  the  same  pair,  a  few 
days  after,  build  another  nest  on  a  tree  not  far  distant  from  the 
ipot  in  which  tho  first  one  had  been. 

"  The  mutual  attachment  of  the  male  and  the  female  continue* 
during  life.  They  usually  hunt  in  pairs  during  the  whole  year; 
and,  although  they  build  a  new  nest  every  spring,  they  are  fond  of 
resorting  to  the  same  parte  of  the  woods  for  that  purpose.' 

"  The  young  remain  in  the  nest  until  fully  fledged,  and  are  fed 
by  the  parente  for  several  weeks  after  they  have  begun  to  fly ;  but 
leave  them,  and  begin  to  shift  for  themselves,  in  about  a  month, 
when  they  disperse,  and  hunt  separately,  until  the  approach  of  the 
•ucceeding  spring,  at  which  time  they  pair. 

"  This  Hawk  seldom  attacks  any  kind  of  poultry,  and  yet  fre- 
quently pounces  on  partridges,  doves,  or  wild  pigeons,  as  well  as 
red-winged  blackbirds,  and  now  and  then  young  rabbite.  On  one 
or  two  occasions,  I  have  seen  them  make  their  appearance  at  the 
report  of  my  gun,  and  try  to  rob  me  of  some  blue-winged  teals, 
shot  in  small  ponds.  I  have  never  seen  them  chase  any  other 
small  birds  than  those  mentioned,  or  quadrupeds  of  smaller  size 
than  the  Cottou  Rat." 

My  experience  has  been  different  from  the  above  para- 
graph ;  for  I  have  known  of  this  Hawk  attacking  poultry, 
and,  even  several  times  in  the  same  flock,  killing  a  fowl  each 
time.  The  breeding  habits  of  this  and  the  Red-tailed  Hawk 
are  so  exactly  similar,  that  the  above  description  well 
answers  for  both. 

t  I  have  known  of  the  same  nest  being  occupied  by  »  pair  of  these  bird*  fw 
uveral  seasons. — E.  A.  S. 


:,5?(Kj«f';v,;^;,;;^:j^.  -- 


fit 


sm 


t 


40 


ORNI'^HOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


I  have  found  several  nests  of  this  species  in  different 
localities,  all  of  which  were  placed  in  high  forks  of  trees. 
They  were  built  of  twigs  and  sticks  of  different  sizes,  and 
usually  were  of  large  size.  A  nest  that  I  found  in  Milton, 
Mass.,  was  built  in  a  fork  of  a  large  oak,  against  the  trunk, 
about  forty  feet  from  the  ground.  It  was  of  a  bulk  nearly 
sufficient  to  fill  a  bushel-basket :  it  was  considerably  hol- 
lowed, and  lined  with  dry  gi-ass  and  leaves.  The  eggs, 
two  in  number,  are  in  the  cabinet  of  Dr.  Brewer,  who 
describes  them  as  follows :  — 

"  Two  others  belonging  to  this  species,  obtained  in  Milton,  Mass., 
by  Mr.  E.  A.  Samuels,  and  identified  by  securing  the  parent  birds, 
may  be  thus  described:  One  measures  2-^  by  1^^  inch.  The 
ground-color  is  a  dirty-white,  and  is  marked  with  large  blotches, 
lines,  and  dottings  of  umber-brown  of  various  shades,  from  qmte 
dark  to  light.  The  other  is  2  mcbes  by  1|§,  has  a  bluish- white 
ground,  and  is  only  marked  by  a  number  of  very  faint  blotches  of 
yellowish-brown  and  a  slate-drab.  Except  in  their  shape,  which  is 
an  oval  spheroid,  slightly  pointed-  at  one  end,  these  bear  but  very  _ 
slight  resemblance  to  each  other,  though  taken  at  the  same  time 
from  one  nest." 

A  number  of  specimens  in  my  collection  bxhibit  as  great 
a  variety  as  the  above  instances ;  and  one  specimen,  obtained 
in  Connecticut,  which  measures  2.12  by  1.65  inches,  has  a 
dirty  yellowish-white  ground-color,  which  is  nearly  covered 
with  blotches  of  faint^purple ;  the  appearance  being  as  if 
the  purple  spots  were  laid  on,  and  then  a  coating  of  white- 
wash laid  over  them. 


. 


BUTEO  PEHN8T1VAHIOTS.— fiofM?par««. 
y.  The  Broad-winged  Havk.  — 

Fako  Penruylvanictu,  WUson.  Am.  Om.,  VI.  92  (1812).    Aud.  Ore.  Biog.,  1. 161. 
Falco  WUtonii,  Bonaparte.    Joiir.  Phila.  Acad.,  III.  848  (1824). 

Description. 
j4rfu&.— Entire  upper  parts  umber-brown;  fisathers  on  the  occiput  and  back  of 
the  neck  white  at  their  baaee;  throat  white,  with  longitudinal  lines  of  brown,  and 


1 


THE  BROAD-WINGED  HAWK. 


41 


with  a  patch  of  brown  on  each  side  running  from  the  base  of  the  lower  mandible; 
breast  with  a  wide  band  composed  of  large  cordate  and  sagittate  spots  and  trans- 
verse bands  of  reddish-ferruginous  tinged  with  ashy;  other  under  parts  white,  with 
numerous  sagittate  spots  of  reddish  on  the  tlanks,  abdomen,  and  tibia;.  In  some 
specimens,  the  ferruginous  color  predominates  on  all  the  under  parts,  except  the 
under  tail  coverts,  and  all  the  feathers  have  large  circular  or  ovate  spots  of  white 
on  both  edges;  under  tail  coverts  white;  quills  brownish-black,  widely  bordered 
with  white  on  their  inner  webs;  tail  dark-brown,  narrowly  tipped  with  white,  and 
with  one  wide  band  of  white  and  several  narrower  bands  near  the  base. 

Young.  —  Upper  parts  dull  umber-brown,  many  feathers  edged  with  fulvous  and 
ashy-white;  upper  tail  coverts  spotted  with  white;  under  parts  white,  generally 
tinged  with  yellowish,  and  having  longitudinal  stripes  and  oblong  and  lanceolate 
spots  of  brownish-black ;  a  stripe  of  dark-brown  on  each  side  of  the  neck  from  the 
base  of  the  under  mandible;  tail  brown,  with  several  bands  of  a  darker  shade  of 
the  same  color,  and  of  white  on  the  inner  webs,  and  narrowly  tipped  with  white. 
Bill  bluish-black  at  the  tip,  blue  towards  the  base;  cere  and  margin  yellow;  iris 
hazel;  feet  gamboge-yellow;  claws  brownish-black. 

Total  length,  female,  seventeen  to  eighteen  inches;  wing,  eleven;  tail,  six  and  a 
half  to  seven  inches.  Male,  total  length,  sixteen  to  sixteen  and  a  half  inches ;  wing, 
ten  inches;  tail,  six  to  six  and  a  half  inches. 

This  bird,  until  quite  recent!  lias  been  regarded  as  rare 
in  all  the  New-England  States;  and  even  now  it  is  by  no 
means  common,  although  it  is  much  oftener  found  here  than 
formerly.  It  occurs  in  these  States  only  as  a  summer 
visitor,  arriving  in  the  spring  about  the  middle  of  April,  and 
departing  for  the  South  in  October.  The  flight  of  this 
Hawk  is  quite  rapid,  consisting  of  long  intervals  of  soaring, 
with  shorter  periods  of  flappings  of  the  wings.  It  seems  to 
prefer  the  wilder  districts  to  the  more  thickly  settled  ones, 
and  is  most  often  met  with  in  tlie  interior  of  the  country. 
I  noticed  several  individuals,  in  the  course  of  a  day's  march 
in  Northern  Maine,  soaring  above  the  hemlock  and  pine 
forests,  and  uttering  their  shi-ill  kei/,  ky-ah,  ky-ahrke-ee, 
ke-ee,  as  they  were  searching  for  prey  beneath  them.  Small 
birds,  reptiles,  squirrels,  and  insects  constitute  the  principal 
portion  of  their  food ;  and  they  seldom  attack  a  bird  larger 
than  a  pigeon  or  quail. 

Once,  while  listening  to  the  beautiful  song  of  the  White- 
throated  Sparrow,  I  was  startled  by  the  sudden  appearance 
of  one  of  these  hawks,  which,  flying  within  a  yard  of  my 
head,  as  I  sat  in  some  bushes  on  the  shores  of  Lake  Umba- 


f 


42 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


y  i 


gog,  pounced  at  a  Red  Squirrel  (*S.  Eudsonius),  that  T7a8 
chattering  at  me  from  the  top  of  a  hollow  stump:   the 
squirrel  barely  escaped  by  diving  into  the  hollow,  when 
the  hawk,  turning  suddenly,  rushed  at  my  little  songster, 
and,   clutching  him  through  the  vitals,  bore  him  oiF  in 
exultation.     So  sudden  was  the  attack,  that  1  had  no  time 
to  cock  my  gun  before  he  was  half  a  dozen  rods  oiF,  when  I 
fired,  and  brought  him  to  the  ground :  the  sparrow  was,  of 
course,  dead.     The  hawk  was  only  wing-tipped ;  and,  throw- 
ing himself  on  his  back,  his  feet  extended,  he  awaited  my 
approach.    As  I  drew  near  him,  he  emitted  a  sort  of  hiss ; 
and,  as  he  glared  at  me  with  rage-enkindled  eye,  he  appeared 
the  very  incarnation  of  wrath.    On  killing  him,  I  found  that 
he  had  had  one  of  his  tarsi  broken  before,  apparently  by  a 
shot :  it  had  healed,  but  had  lost  none  of  its  strength ;  for,  as 
I  touched  him  with  a  stick,  he  grasped  it  with  both  feet  so 
powerfully  that  all  his  claws  were  thrust  deep  into  the  wood. 
The  nest  is  rarely  found.    One  that  I  visited  in  West  Rox- 
bury,  Mass.,  on  the  20th  of  May,  1864,  had  four  eggs;  it 
was  built  in  a  tall  pine-tree,  in  a  fork  near  the  top ;  it  was 
composed  of  coarse  sticks  and  twigs,  and  was  lined  with 
the  bark  of  the  red  cedar  and  a  few  leaves  and  feathers. 
The  eggs,  which  are  now  before  me,  vary  from  2  by  1.70 
inches,  to  2.15  by  1.72  inches ;  their  color  is  a  dirly  yellow- 
ish-white, covered  more  or  less  thickly  in  the  diflFerent 
specimens  with  spots  and  blotches  of  reddish-brown :  an- 
other egg,  obtained  in  Newton,  Mass.,  in  the  previous 
season,  is  somewhat  smaller,  and  the  markings  are  fainter, 
and  of  a  lighter  color.    Two  other  specimens  in  my  collec- 
tion,  collected  in  New    Hampshire,   correspond    to    this 
description ;  but  the  spots  are  much  finer  and  of  a  darker 
color. 

AROHIBUTEO,  Bkkhm. 

Archibuteo,  Brehm,  Isis,  1828,  p.  1269. 

Tarsi  densely  feathered  to  the  toes,  but  more  or  less  naked  behind,  and  then  coh- 
ered with  scales.  Wings  long  and  wide;  toes  short;  claws  moderate;  tail  rather 
short,  wide.    Other  characters  very  similar  to  those  of  Buteo 


ij 


THE   BOUGH-LEGGED   HAWK. 


4a 


This  genus  contains  six  or  seven  species,  inhabiting  Europe,  Asia,  and  North 
America,  all  birds  of  heavy  though  robust  organization,  subsisting  mainly  on  small 
quadrupeds  and  reptiles.  The  species  of  this  genus  are  easily  recognized  by  their 
having  the  tarti  feathered. 

AaCHIBUTEO  LAGOPUS.— Gray. 
The  Bough-legged  Hawk. 

FiUco  lagopui,  Gm.  Syst.  Nat.,  260  (1788).  Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  II.  877,  and 
Wilson. 

Falco plumipei,  Daudin.    Traite  d'Om.,  II.  163. 
Fdco penruUui,  Cuvier.    Reg.  An.,  I.  823  (1817). 
ArchilnUeo  aUicep$,  Brehm.    Vog.  Deutsch,  I.  40. 

Descbiption. 

Tarsus  densely  feathered  in  front  to  the  toes,  naked  behind;  wing  long;  tail 
rather  short. 

Aduh.  —  UeiiA  above  yellowish-white,  with  longitudinal  stripes  of  brown  tinged 
with  reddish,  especially  on  the  occiput;  back  scapular,  and  shorter  quills  pale  cine- 
reous, with  partially  concealed  transverse  bands  of  white  and  dark-brown,  the  latter 
frequently  predominating,  and  giving  the  color  on  the  back ;  rump  dark  umber-brown ; 
longer  quills  and  wing  coverts  umber-brown;  primaries  edged  externally  with  ashy, 
and  with  a  large  space  on  their  inner  webs  at  their  base,  white  with  a  silky  lustre; 
under  r  'Tts  white;  throat  with  longitudinal  stripes  of  dark-brown;  breast  with  large 
spots  and  concealed  stripes  of  reddish-brown;  abjomen  with  numerous  transverse 
narrow  bands  of  brownish-black,  most  conspicuous  on  the  flanks,  and  tinged  with 
ashy;  tibita  and  tarsi  barred  transversely  with  white  and  dark-brown,  aud  tinged 
with  reddish;  under  tail  coverts  white;  upper  tail  coverts  white  at  base  and 
tipped  with  brownish-black ;  tail  white  at  base,  with  a  wide  subtenninal  band  of 
black,  and  about  two  other  bands  of  black  alternating  with  others  of  light-cinere- 
otis;  cere  and  oes  yellow;  iria  hazel;  under  wing  coverta  white,  with  spots  of 
brownish-black,  and  on  the  longer  coverts  with  a  large  space  of  ashy-brown. 

Young.  —  Upper  parts  light  umber-brown,  many  feathers,  especially  on  the  head 
and  neck  behind,  edged  With  yellowish- white  and  pale-reddish;  a  wide  transverse 
band  or  belt  on  the  abdomen  brownish-black;  other  under  parts  yellowish-white, 
with  a  few  longitudinal  lines  and  spots  of  brownish-black;  quills  ashy-brown,  with 
a  large  basal  portion  of  their  inner  webs  white;  tail  at  its  base  white,  with  a  sub- 
terminal  band  of  light  umber-brown,  tip  white;  tibite  and  tarsi  pale  reddish-yellow, 
with  longitudinal  stripes  and  spots  of  dark-brown;  cere  and  toes  yellow;  iris  hazel. 
Total  length,  female,  twenty-one  to  twenty-three  inches ;  wing,  sixteen  to  seven- 
teen inches;  tail,  nine  inches.  Male,  total  length,  nineteen  to  twenty-one  inches; 
wing,  fifteen  to  sixteen  inches;  tail,  eight  to  eight  and  a  half  inches. 

This  Hawk  is  rarely  seen  in  Now  England,  appearing  only 
in  the  late  fall  and  winter  months.  I  have  had  no  opportu- 
nities of  studying  its  habits  and  characteristics,  and  will 
give  the  short  description  by  Audubon.    He  says, — 


p 


Jtk 


mm 


-AMI 


44 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


"  The  Rough-legged  Hawk  seldom  goes  further  south  along  our 
Atlantic  Coast  than  the  eastern  portions  of  North  Carolina ;  nor 
have  I  ever  seen  it  west  of  the  Alleghanies.  It  is  a  sluggish  bird, 
and  confines  itself  to  the  meadows  and  low  grounds  bordering  the 
rivers  and  salt  marshes  along  our  bays  and  inlets*  In  such  places, 
you  may  see  it  perched  on  a  stake,  where  it  remains  for  hours  at  a 
time,  unless  some  wounded  bird  comes  in  sight,  when  it  sails  after 
it,  and  secures  it  without  manifesting  much  swiftness  of  flight.  It 
feeds  principally  on  moles,  mice,  and  other  small  quadrupeds,  and 
never  attacks  a  duck  on  the  wing,  although  now  and  then  it  pursues 
a  wounded  one.  When  not  alarmed,  it  usually  flies  low  and 
sedately,  and  does  not  exhibit  any  of  the  courage  and  vigor  so  con- 
spicuous in  most  other  hawks,  suiFering  thousands  of  birds  to  pass 
without  pursuing  them.  The  greatest  feat  I  have  seen  it  perform 
was  scrambling  at  the  edge  of  the  water  to  secure  a  lethargic' 
frog. 

"  They  alight  on  trees  to  roost,  but  appear  so  hungry  or  indolent 
at  all  times,  that  they  seldom  retire  to  rest  until  after  dusk. 
Their  large  eyes,  indeed,  seem  to  indicate  their  possession  of  the 
faculty  of  seeing  at  that  late  hour.  I  have  frequently  put  up  one 
that  seemed  watching  for 'food  at  the  edge  of  a  ditch,  long  after 
Bunset.  Whenever  an  opportunity  offer,  they  eat  to  excess, 
and,  like  the  Turkey  Buzzards  and  Carrion  Crows,  disgorge 
their  food,  to  enable  themselves  to  fly  off.  The  species  is  more 
pocturnal  in  its  habits  than  any  other,  hawk  found  in  the  United 
States." 

I  have  never  met  with  the  nest  of  this  bird,  and  know 
but  little  of  its  breeding  habits.  It  does  not  breed  in  New 
England,  or,  if  it  does,  only  very  rarely,  preferring  the  more 
northern  sections  of  the  continent.  Two  eggs  in  my  collec- 
tion, from  Canada,  are  of  the  following  description.  Their 
ground-color  is  a  dirty  bluish-white,  which  is  covered  more 
or  less  thickly  on  different  parts  of  '^'leir  surface  with 
obscure  spots  and  blotches  of  different  shades  of  brown- 
ish-ochre and  faint-uraber.  They  are  broadly  ovate  in 
form,  and  are  2.87  by  1.76  inch  and  2.87  by  1.63  inch  in 
dimensions. 


tttrntm 


THE  BLACK  HAWK. 


46 


AECHIBUTEO   SABCTI-JOHABHIS. —Cray. 
The  Black  Hawk.  • 

• 

Fako  tancthjohannit,  Gm.    Syst.  Nat,  273  (1788). 
Falco  nova4erra,  Gm.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  274  (1788). 
Falco  nigtr,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  VI.  82  (1812). 

Debcription. 

Adult.  —  Entire  plumage  glossy  black,  in  many  specimens  with  a  bro'B'n  tinge; 
forehead,  throat,  and  largo  partially  concealed  spot  on  occiput,  white;  tail  with 
one  transverse  well-defined  band  of  white,  and  irregularly  marked  towards  the  base 
with  the  same  color;  quills  with  their  inner  webs  white,  readily  seen  from  below; 
cere  and  toes  yellow;  iris  hazel;  tarsi  densely  feathered  in  front,  naked  behind. 
Other  specimens  are  entirely  dark  chocolate-brown,  with  the  head  more  or  less 
striped  with  yellowish-white  and  reddish-yellow;  tail  with  several  transverse 
bands  of  white,  more  or  less  imperfect  and  irregular. 

Young.  —  Upper  parts  light  umber-brown,  witli  the  feathers  more  or  less  edged 
with  dull-white  and  reddish-yellow;  abdomen  with  a  broad  transverse  band  of 
brownish-black;  other  under  parts  pale  yellowish-white,  with  longitudinal  stripes 
of  brownish-black,  frequently  giving  the  predominating  color  on  the  breast  and 
sides;  wings  and  tail  brown,  tinged  with  cinereous,  the  former  marked  with  white 
on  their  inner  webs,  the  latter  white  at  their  base;  tarsi  and  tibiaj  pale  reddish- 
yellow,  spotted  with  brown;  cere,  feet,  and  iris  the  same  as  in  adult. 

Totftl  length,  female,  twenty-two  to  twenty-four  inches ;  wing,  seventeen  to  seven- 
teen and  a  half;  tail,  nine  inches.  Male,  twenty  to  twenty^wo  inches;  wing,  sixteen 
to  sixteen  and  a  half;  tail,  eight  to  eight  and  a  half  inches. 

This  species,^  so  often  confounded  in  the  immature  plu- 
mage with  the  preceding,  but  which  may  be  separated 
from  it  by  its  greater  size  and  more  numerous  dark  spots 
beneath,  is  a  rare  winter  visitor  in  New  England.  Like 
the  Rough-legged  Hawk,  it  prefers  the  marshes  and  low, 
swampy  woods  to  the  higher  localities,  and  preys  upon 
mice,  wounded  ducks,  and  small  birds.  I  have  known  of  it 
being  killed  while  pursuing  a  flock  of  Snow  Buntings 
(^Plectrophanes  nivalis'),  and  have  heard  of  its  attacking  a 
flock  of  domestic  poultry.  Its  habits,  therefore,  are  differ- 
ent from  those-  of  the  A.  lagopus,  as  given  by  Audubon  ; 
b"t  it  lacks  the  courage  and  vigor  of  most  of  our  other 
rapacious  birds,  and  is  hardly  worthy  of  the  immortality  it 
has  received  from  the  pens  of  some  of  our  writers. 

The  distribution  of  this  species  is  limited  to  the  north- 
ern regions  of  the  continent  in  summer,  and  is  very  rarely 

^  See  Appendix. 


I 


'^^i^i^'**^'^^^'^^^'^-^ 


46 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


found  south  of  Maasachuaetts  in  winter.  I  do  not  rdmem- 
bor  of  an  instance  of  ita  being  captured  far  inland,  although 
J.  A.  Allen,  before  quoted,  includea  it  in  the  catalogue  of 
the  birds  of  Springfield,  Mass. 

A  single  egg  in  my  collection,  from  Northern  America,  is 
of  the  following  dimensions :  2.17  by  1.70  inch.  Its  form 
is  a  perfect  ovoidal.  Its  primary  color  is  a  dirty  white ; 
and  it  is  marked  with  obscure  blotches  of  lilac,  and  some 
obscure  blotches  of  brown  and  brownish-yellow.  None  of 
the  markings  are  decided  ;  and,  at  a  little  distance,  the  egg 
has  the  appearance  of  being  of  a  dirty-white  color. 


BMa 


•    Sub-Family  MiLviNJU.  —  The  Kites. 

Size  various,  usually  medium  or  small ;  general  form  usually  rather  slender,  and 
not  strong;  wings  and  tail  usually  long;  bill  short,  weak,  hooked,  and  acute;  tarsi 
and  'n  .;  usually  slender,  and  not  strong,  sometimes  short.  The  birds  of  this  group 
habiicaily  feed  on  reptiles  and  other  small  animals,  and  are  deficient  in  the  strength 
and  courage  of  the  other  groups  of  the  falcons. 

CIRCUS,  Lacepedb. 

Circtu,  Lacepkdb,  Mem.  d'Inst.  Paris,  III.  CXI.  B08  (1803). 

Face  partially  encircled  by  a  ring  or  ruff  of  short  projecting  feathers,  aa  in  the 
owls;  head  rather  large;  bill  short,  compressed,  curved  from  the  base;  nostrils 
large;  wings  long,  pointed;  tail  rather  long,  wide;  tarsi  long  and  slender;  toea 
moderate:  claws  rather  slender  and  weak. 

COLCVS  KUDSOVmS.— neUht. 
/The  Harsh-havk;  Harrier;  Hoase-hawk. 

falco  ffudsoniut,  Linnseus.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  128  (1768). 

Falco  uliginotu*,  Gm.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  278  (1788). 

Fako  uUginotui,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  VI.  67. 

Falco  cyaneui,  Aububon.    Om.  Biog.,  IV.  896.  ' 

Description. 

Adult.  — VoTta  rather  long  and  slender;  tarsi  long;  ruff  quite  distinct  on  the 
neck  in  front:  entire  upper  parts,  head,  nnd  breast,  pale  bluish-cinei«ou8,  on 
the  back  of  the  head  miled  with  dark-fulvous;  upper  tail  coverts  white;  under 
parts  white,  with  small  coffate  or  hastate  spots  of  light-ferruginous ;  quills  brownish- 
black,  with  their  outer  webS  tinged  with  ashy,  and  a  large  portion,  of  their  inner 


"rijwiiiii- 1  iifiigiiMltit"rP'1''*°°y 


T 


"jn'' ^' 


THE   MARSH-IIAWK  ;    HARRIER;    MOUSE-HAWK. 


47 


webs  wliito ;  fail  light-cincrcous,  nearly  white  on  the  inner  webs  of  the  fcathen),  and 
with  obscure  transverse  Imnds  of  brown;  under  surface  silky-white j  under  wing 
coverts  white;  bill  blue-black  at  the  extremity;  cere  and  legs  yellow,  the  former 
with  a  tinge  of  green ;  iris  hazel. 

Younger.  —  Entire  upper  ymna  dull  umber-brown,  many  feathers  edged  with  dull 
rufous,  especially  on  the  neck ;  under  parts  dull  reddish-white,  with  longitudinal 
stripes  of  brown,  most  numerous  on  the  throat  and  neck  before;  tibia)  tinged  with 
reddish;  upper  tail  coverts  white. 

young.  —  Entire  upper  parts  dark  umber-brown;  upper  tail  coverts  white; 
under  parts  rufous,  with  longitudinal  stripes  of  brown  on  the  breast  and  sides; 
tail  reddish-brown,  with  about  three  wide  bands  of  dark-fulvous,  paler  on  the  inner 
webs;  tarsi,  cere,  and  iris  as  in  the  adult. 

Total  length,  female,  nineteen  to  twenty-one  inches;  wing,  fifteen  and  a  half; 
tail,  fen  inches.  Male,  fetal  length,  sixteen  to  eighteen  inches ;  wing,  fourteen  and  a 
half;  tail,  eight  and  a  half  to  nine  inches. 

This  species  is  pretty  generally  diffused  throughout  New 
England  as  a  summer  visitor.  It  is  one  of  the  least  mis- 
chievous of  all  the  hawks,  as  it  destroys  but  few  of  the 
smaller  birds.  It  is  more  common  in  districts  that  are  low 
and  marshy  than  in  others ;  and  this  fact  gives  it  the  name, 
in  many  localities,  of  the  "  Bogtrotter." 

Its  flight  is  low  and  rapid,  consisting  of  long  intervals 
of  flappings,  with  shorter  periods  of  soaring.  I  do  not 
remember  of  ever  hearing  it  cry  out  in  the  manner  that 
other  hawks  do,  and  think  that  it  hunts  silently.  It  arrives 
from  the  South  from  about  the  middle  of  April  to  the  first 
of  May.  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  the  birds  are  generally 
mated  before  their  arrival ;  for  they  are  almost  always  seen 
in  pairs  from  their  first  appearance.  In  choosing  a  situation 
for  a  nest,  both  birds  are  remarkably  nervous  and  restless : 
they  are  almost  constantly  on  the  wing,  prying  into,  and 
apparently  taking  into  account,  every  thing  with  reference  to 
future  comfort.  The  following  circumstances  came  to  my 
observation,  and,  as  I  improved  every  opportunity  to  watch 
the  proceedings,  will  serve  to  illustrate  the  breeding  habits 
of  this  bird :  A  pair  made  their  appearaince  about  the 
middle  of  April,  a  few  years  since,  in  a,  large  meadow  in 
Dedham,  Mass.  They  were  apparently  mated  from  the 
first ;  and,  as  the  neighborhood  gave  promise  of  an  abun- 


1- 


i»miiwnniiiiiii 


48 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


dance  of  food  (field-mice),  I  concluded  that  this  would  ho 
selected   as   a  breeding- place,   and  watched    accordingly. 
The  male  was  very  attentive  to  his  mate,  often  talking  to 
and  caressing  her.     If  she  should  alight  on  the  ground  or 
on  a  fence-rail,  he  would  alight  with  her,  and  often  fly  and 
walk  around   her,  bowing  and  chattering  in  a  ludicrous 
manner.     After  a  situation  (luckily  where  I  could  watch 
them  unobserved)  was  fixed  upon  for  a  nest,  both  birds 
were  very  active  in  its  construction.     It  was  built  on  a 
hummock,  perhaps  eighteen  inches  above  the  level  of  the 
meadow.     The   materials  used   in   its   construction  were 
dried  grasses,  which  were  woven  together  rather  neatly.    It 
was  considerably  hollowed, — perhaps  an  inch  and  a  half, — 
and  lined  with  very  soft  grass.     The  external  diameter  of 
the  nest  was  about  eighteen  inches ;   internal  diameter, 
about  eight  inches.     The  female  laid  four  eggs  of  a  dirty- 
white  color,  with  a  faint  tinge  of  blue.     In  one  specimen 
there  were  a  few  faint  spots  of  brown ;   but  1  think  'that 
generally  the  eggs  of  this  species  are  without  spots .^    I 
have  seen  a  great  many,  and  but  a  very  few  had  spots,  and 
these  not  at  all  distinct.     A  great  number  of  specimens 
exhibit  a  variation  of  from  1.62  to  1.90  inch  in  length,  and 
from  1.32  to  1.25  inch  in  breadth.    The  habits  of  this  bird 
entitle  it  to  the  protection  of  the  farmer.    It  subsists  almost 
entirely  upon  the  injurious  field-mice,  and  the  numbers  of 
these  animals  which  it  destroys  in  the  breeding  season  are 
incredible  :  from  early  dawn  to  dim  twilight  it  may  be  seen 
busily  searching  for  these  pests,  seldom  molesting  the  small 
beneficial  birds  or  poultry. 

I  Dr.  Brewer,  in  describing  the  eggs  of  this  species,  says;  "With  but  a  single 
exception,  all  these  eggs  (six)  are  very  distinctly  blotched  and  spotted.  Their 
ground-color  is  a  dirty  bluish-white,  which  in  one  is  nearly  unspotted;  the  markings 
so  f(iint  as  to  be  hardly  perceptible,  and  only  upon  close  inspection.  In  all  the 
others,  spots  and  blotches  of  a  light  shade  of  purplish-brown  occur,  in  a  greater  or 
less  degree,  over  their  entire  surface.  In  two,  the  blotches  are  large  and  well 
marked;  in  the  others,  less  strongly  traced,  but  quite  distinct.  This  has  led  to  a 
closer  examination  of  eggs  from  other  parts  of  the  country,  and  nearly  all  are  per- 
ceptibly spotted." 


.^^r<-r^',  iMii^'ifVi^lfgffff^^K^^.  . 


. 


THE   GOLDEN   EAGLE;    THE   RING-TAILED   EAGLE. 


Suh-Family  AqniLiNiE.  —  The  Eaglet. 


49 


Siza  large,  uiiJ  ull  purta  very  atruiiKl.v  organized;  bill  Urge,  compresaed,  straight 
at  bane,  curved  and  acute  at  tip;  wingg  long,  pointed;  tail  ample,  generally  rounded; 
tarsi  modorntc,  very  strong;  claws  curved,  viiry  sharp  and  strong.  There  are  about 
seventy  species  of  eagles  of  all  countries. 


AQUILA,  MoEiiRiNO. 

Aquila,  MoEiiRiNO,  kv.  Gen.,  49  (1762). 

General  form  large  and  very  strong,  and  adapted  to  long-continued  and  swift 
flight;  bill  large,  strong,  compressed,  and  hooked  at  the  tip;  wings  long,  pointed; 
tarsi  rather  short,  very  strong,  feathered  to  the  toes ;  claws  sharp,  strong,  curved. 
This  genus  includes  about  twenty  species,  which  are  regarded  as  the  true  eagles. 

AQUILA  OARASENSIS Ca$nn. 

The  Golden  Eagle ;  the  Bing-talled  Eagle, 

Fako  Canadensu,  Linnojus.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  126  (1766). 
Falco  niger,  Gm.     Syst.  Nat.,  I.  260  (1788). 
AjuthnobiliSfFMna.    Zoog.  Ross.  As.,  L  888(1811). 
Falco  chryustot,  Wilson.    Aud.,  II.  464. 

Dkscription. 

Adult. — Large;  tarsi  densely  feathered  to  the  toes;  head  and  neck  behind  light 
brownish-fulvous,  varying  in  shade  in  different  specimens,  frequently  light  orange- 
folvous,  generally  darker;  tail  at  base  white,  which  color  frequently  occupies  the 
greater  part  of  the  tail ;  other  terminal  portion  glossy  black ;  all  other  parts  rich 
purplish-brown,  frequently  very  dark,  and  nearly  cleor  black  on  the  under  parts  of 
tlie  body;  primaries  shining  black;  secondaries  purplish-brown;  tibioe  and  tarsi 
brownish-fulvous,  generally  mixed  with  dark-ashy;  cere  and  toes  yellow:  iris 
reddish-hazel. 

Younger.  —  Entire  plumage  lighter,  and  mixed  with  dull-ftalvous ;  under  parts  of 
the  body  nearly  uniform  with  the  upper  parts ;  cere,  toes,  and  iris  like  adult. 

Total  length,  female,  thirty-three  to  forty  inches ;  wing,  about  twenty-five ;  tail, 
about  fifteen  inches.  Male,  total  length,  thirty  to  thirty-five  inches ;  wing,  twenty 
to  twenty-three:  tail,  twelve  to  fourteen  inches. 

The  above  description  is  incomplete,  so  far  as  the  markings  of  the  tail  are  men 
tioned ;  for  in  the  adult  bird  the  tail  is  entirely  black,  and  the  young  have  more  or 
less  white  in  proportion  to  their  age,  —  the  youngest  birds  having  the  widest  white 
band  at  the  base. 

This  bird  is  so  extremely  rare  in  New  England,  that  I 
have  had  no  opportunities  for  studying  its  habits.  It  is 
occasionally  found  here  in  different  seasons  of  the  year, 

4 


■Ma 


60 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


and  it  luidoiibtcdly  breeds  in  the  wildcat  districts  of  those 
States.  The  Ibllowing  are  tlio  most  interesting  facts,  given 
by  Audubon,  in  relation  to  this  speciios :  — 

"Tie  i^M'n  Kagle,  although  a  permanent  resident  in  the 
TTnfua  Ktiii  .  in  of  rare  occurrence  there;  it  being  seldom  th-xi 
one  nee.  more  Laai  a  pair  or  two  in  the  course  of  a  year,  unless  he 
k^  an  inhabitant  of  the  mountains,  or  of  t\w  liiigo  planis  spread  out 
at  their  base.  I  have  seen  a  few  of  them  on  the  wing  along  the 
shores  of  the  Hudson,  others  on  the  upper  parts  of  the  Mississippi, 
some  among  the  Alleghanies,  and  a  pair  in  the  SUUe  of  Mu.ne. 
At  Labrador,  we  saw  -u  in.'..  <  A  sailing,  at  the  height  of  a  few 
•  yards,  over  the  moss-covered  Mirface  of  tiio  dreary  rocks. 

"Although  powerful  in  flight,  it  has  not  the  speed  of  many 
hawks,  nor  even  of  the  White-headed  Eagle.     It  cannot,  like  the 
latter,  pursue  and  seize,  on  the  wing,  the  prey  it  longs  for;  but  is 
obliged  to  glide  down  through  the  air  for  a  certain  iuM^iht  to  insure 
the  success  of  its  enterprise.     The  keenness  of  its  eye,  however, 
makes  up  for  this  defect,  and  enables  it  to  spy,  at  a  great  distance, 
the  objects  on  which  it  preys;  and  it  seldom  misses  its  aim,  as  it 
falls  with  the  swiftness  of  a  meteor  towards  the  spot  on  winch  they 
are  concealed.     When  at  a  great  height  in  the  air,  its  gyrations  are 
uncommonly  beautiful,  being  slow  and  of  wide  circuit,  and  becom- 
ing the  majesty  of  Iho  king  of  birds.     It  often  continues  tbem  for 
hours  at  a  time,  with  apparendy  the  greatest  ease. 

"The  notes  of  this  species  are  sharp  and  harsh;  resembling,  at 
times,  the  barking  of  a  dog;  especially  about  the  breeding  season, 
when  the  birds  become  extremely  noisy  and  turbulent,  flying  more 
swiftly  than  at  other  times,  alighting  more  frequently,  and  evincing 
a  fretfulness  which  is  not  so  observable  after  their  eggs  are  laid. 

"They  aro  capable  of  remaining  without  food  for  several  days  at 
a  time,  and  eat  voraciously  whenever  they  find  an  opportunity. 

"Young  fawns,  raccoons,  hares,  wild  turkeys,  and  other  large 
birds  are  their  usual  food ;  and  they  devour  putrid  flesh  only  when 
hard  pressed  by  hunger,  none  alighting  on  carrion  at  any  other 

time. 

I  regret  that  I  am  unable  to  add  any  thing  to  our  knowl- 
edge of  its  habits  and  breeding  peculiarities.    Dr.  Brewer 


. 


iiMiMijmmiAiBiMm'ilJiBiMi 


THE   WHITE-HEADED    EAGLE. 


61 


Bays,  "It  broods  in  tho  inoiuitainous  portions  of  Maine, 
Now  Hampshire,  Vermont,  and  New  York."  Tho  Gohlon 
Eagle  usually  conHtruots  its  nest  on  tho  sides  of  stoop  roeky 
crags,  where  its  materials  aro  coarsely  heaped  together  on 
a  projecting  shelf  of  rock.  Those  consist  of  largo  sticks 
loosely  arranged.  In  rare  instances,  they  aro  said  to 
have  been  built  on  trees  in  the  Western  States,  whore 
rocky  cliffs  aro  not  to  be  met  with.  Tho  eggs  aro  usually 
threo  in  nimibor ;  sometimes  two,  or  only  one.  Mr.  Audu- 
bon describes  them  as  measuring  three  and  a  half  inches  in 
length  by  two  and  a  half  in  breadth ;  tho  shell  thick  and 
smooth,  dull-wliito,  brushed  over  with  undefined  patches 
of  brown,  which  aro  most  numerous  at  the  larger  end. 


HALIiETUS,  Saviont. 

Size  large!  tarsi  short,  naked,  or  feathered  for  a  short  distance  below  the  joint 
'of  the  tibia  and  tarsus,  and  with  the  toes  covered  with  scales;  toes  rather  long! 
claws  very  strong,  curved,  very  sharp;  bill  large,  very  strong,  compressed;  margin 
of  upper  mandible  slighUy  lobed;  wings  long,  pointed;  tail  moderate. 


. 


HALiaiTUS  LEUCOCEPHALUS. 

The  White-headed  Eagle;  the  Bald  Eagle;  the  Gray  Eagle. 

Falcu  UucocephtUut,  Linnasus.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  124  (1766). 
Fakoptjgargus,  DsiUiMn.    Traite  d'Om.,  11.  62  (1800). 
Falco  oui/raffui,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  "VII.  16  (1818). 

Descrhtion. 

Bill  largo,  strong,  straight  at  the  base,  rather  abruptly  hooked;  wings  long; 
tarsi  rather  short. 

yldfi/t.  — Head,  tail,  and  its  upper  and  uder  coverts,  white;  entire  other  plumage 
brownish-black,  generally  with  the  edges  of  the  feathers  paler;  bill,  feet,  and  irides, 

or  iris,  yellow. 

Foun-rer.  — Entire  plumage,  ncluding  head  and  tail,  dark-brown;  paler  on  the 
throat;  .dfres  of  the  feathers  paler  or  fulvous,  especially  on  the  under  parts;  tail 
more  or  Icp?  mo.ttled  with  white,  which  color,  in  more  advanced  age,  extends  over  a 
large  portion  of  the  tail,  especially  on  the  inner  webs;  bill  brownish-black;  irides 
brown. 

Tota\  length,  female,  about  thirty-flve  to  forty  inches;  wing,  twenty-three  to 
twenty-live  inches;  tail,  fourteen  to  fifteen  inches.  Mule,  thirty  to  thirty-four  inches: 
wing,  twenty  to  twenty-two  inches;  tail,  thirteen  to  fourteen  inches. 


62 


OBNITHOLOOY   AND   OOLOOY. 


This  hoaiitifnl  and  woll-known  bird  h  occasionally  soon  in 
difforoiit  parts  of  Now  England  throughout  tlio  year,  most 
conunonly  near  tho  aeacoast  or  in  Iho  noighborl.ood  of  large 


tracts  of  water.  I  have  had  several  opportunities  of  observ- 
ing and  studying  its  habits,  but  have  discovered  nothing  that 
has  not  been  already  presented  to  the  public.    Its  flight  is 


ssi^s^.iSi!A'jSisr,4sSS&iim»V)ii-MhMM^^it^ 


i)S'VwytN(»?^.?;i*;^{t^'^.j^ 


in 


serv- 

that 

;ht  is 


THE   WHITE-HKAUKD   EAGLE. 


68 


nipid  and  graceful,  and  is  often  prolonged  for  hourH  witli 
apparent  earn.  It  feeds  upon  wild-fowl,  wild  gocHe,  and 
BnniU  animalH,  and  Ih  very  j)urtial  to  TihIi,  which  it  robs  from 
the  Firth  Hawk  (/^  Carolinemis),  and  linda  cast  upon  the 
shore,  dead. 

WiJHon,  in  describing  its  attacks  on  the  Fish  Hawk, 
says :  — 

"  Formed  by  nature  for  braving  the  severest  cold ;  feeding 
equally  on  the  pnHluco  of  the  sea  and  of  the  land;  jMwsessing 
powers  of  flight  capable  of  outstripping  oven  the  tempests  them- 
Belves ;  unawcd  by  any  thing  but  man ;  and,  from  the  ethereal 
heights  to  which  he  soars,  looking  abroad,  at  one  glonce,  on  an  im- 
measurable expanse  of  foresta,  fields,  lakes,  and  ocean,  deep  below 
him,  —  he  appears  indifferent  to  the  little  change  of  localities  or 
seasons ;  as,  in  a  few  minutes,  he  can  pass  from  Hummer  to  winter, 
from  the  lower  to  the  higher  regions  of  the  atmosphere,  the  abode 
of  eternal  cold,  and  thence  descend,  at  will,  to  the  torrid  or 
the  arctic  regions  of  the  earth.  Ho  is  therefore  found  at  all 
seasons  in  the  countries  he  iidiabits,  but  prefers  such  places  as 
have  been  mentioned  above,  from  the  great  partiality  he  has  for 

fish. 

"  In  procuring  these,  ho  displays,  in  a  very  singular  manner, 
the  genius  and  energy  of  his  character,  which  is  fierce,  contemi)la- 
tive,  daring,  and  tyrannical,  —  attributes  not  exerted  but  on  par 
ticular  occasions,  but,  when  put  forth,  overpowering  all  opposition. 
Elevated  on  the  high  dead  limb  of  some  gigantic  tree  that  com- 
mands a  wide  view  of  the  neighboring  shores  and  ocean,  he  seems 
calmly  to  contemplate  the  motions  of  the  various  feathered  tribes 
that  pursue  their  busy  avocations  below,  —  the  snow-white  gulls 
slowly  winnowing  the  air;  the  busy  tringee  coursing  along  the 
sands ;  trains  of  ducks  streaming  over  the  surface ;  silent  and 
watchful  cranes,  intent  and  wading ;  clamorous  crows ;  and  all  the 
winged  multitudes  that  subsist  by  the  bounty  of  this  vast  liquid 
magazine  of  nature.  High  over  all  these  hovers  one  whose  action 
instantly  arrests  his  whole  attention.  By  his  wide  curvature  of 
wing  and  sudden  suspension  in  air,  he  knows  him  to  be  the  Fish 
Hawk,  settling  over  some  devoted  victim  of  the  deep.  His  eye 
kindles  at  the  sight ;  and,  balancing  himself,  with  half-opened  wings. 


iMM  iirMiwr[iii»*«i^iiiii»n'i'f>* 


54 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


on  the  branch,  he  watches  the  result.     Down,  rapid  as  an  arrow 
from  heaven,  descends  the  distant  object  of  his  attention ;  the  roar 
of  its  wings  reaching  the  ear  as  it  disappears  in  the  deep,  making 
the  surges  foam  around.     At  this  moment,  the  eager  looks  of  the 
Eagle  are  all  ardor;  and,  levelling  his  neck  for  flight,  he  sees 
the  Fish-hawk  once  more  emerge,  struggling  with  his  prey,  and 
mounting  in  the  air  with  screams  of  exultation.     These  are  the 
signal  for  our  hero,  who,  launching  into  the  air,  instantly  gives 
chase,  and  soon  gains  on  the  Fish-hawk:  each  exerts  his  utmost  to 
mount  above  the  other,  displaying  in  these  rencontres  the  most 
elegant  and  sublime  aerial  evolutions.     The  unencumbered  Eagle 
rapidly  advances,  and  is  just  on  the  point  of  reaching  bis  opponent, 
when,  with   a  sudden   scream,   probably  of  despair  and  honest 
execration,  the  latter  drops  his  fish :  the  Eagle,  poising  himself  for 
a  moment,  as  if  to  take  a  more  certain  aim,  descends  like  a  whirl- 
wind, snatches  it  in  his  grasp  ere  it  reaches  the  water,  and  bears 
his  ill-gotten  booty  silently  away  to  the  woods. 

"These  predatory  attacks  and  defensive  maucEuvres  of  the 
Eagle  and  the  Fish-hawk  are  matters  of  daily  observation  along 
the"  whole  of  our  seaboard,  from  Georgia  to  New  England,  and 
frequently  excite  great  interest  in  the  spectators.  Sympathy, 
however,  on  this  as  on  most  other  occasions,  generally  sides  with 
the  honest  and  laborious  sufferer,  in  opposition  to  the  attacks 
of  power,  injustice,  and  rapacity  ;  qualities  for  which  our  hero  is 
so  generally  notorious,  and  which,  in  his  superior,  man,  are  cer- 
tainly detestable.  As  for  the  feelings  of  the  poor  fish,  they  seem 
altogether  out  of  the  question. 

"  When  driven,  as  he  sometimes  is,  by  the  combined  courage 
and  perseverance  of  the  fish-hawks,  from  their  neighborhood,  and 
forced  to  hunt  for  himself,  he  retires  more  inland,  in  search  of 
young  pigs,  of  which  he  destroys  great  numbers.  In  the  lower 
parts  of  Virginia  and  North  Carolina,  where  the  inhabitants  raise 
vast  herds  of  those  animals,  complaints  of  this  kind  are  very 
general  against  him.  He  also  destroys  young  lambs  in  the  early 
part  of  spring ;  and  will  sometimes  attack  old  sickly  sheep,  aiming 
furiously  at  their  eyes." 

It  generally  chooses  for  a  breeding-place  a  retired  spot 
in  the  neighiDorhood  of  a  tract  of  water.     The  nest  is 


, 


THE   FI8H-HAWK. 


55 


usually  placed  lu  the  fork  of  a  largo  dead  tree,  and  is 
occupied  by  the  same  pair  of  birds  for  successive  years.    I 
am  informed,  that  a  pair  of  these  birds  have,  for  a  number 
of  years  past,  made  their  eyrie  on  a  shelf  of  an  inaccessible 
cliff  on  the  side'  of  what  is  called  "  Diamond  Mountain,"  a 
few  miles  south  of  the  Umbagog  lakes.    Mr.  J.  A.  Allen 
(Catalogue  of  Birds  of  SpringBeld,  Mass.,  in  "Proceedings 
of  Essex  Institute,"  vol.  IV.,  No.  2)  says  that  this  species 
"sometimes  breeds  on  Mount  Tom,  about  twenty  miles 
north  of  Springfield,  Mass."    These  are  probably,  how- 
ever, exceptional  cases.    The  nest  is  constructed  of  large 
sticks,  twigs,  branches  of  seaweeds,  turf,  and  moss :  some 
of  these  sticks  are  nearly  or  quite  an  inch  in  thickness.     It 
is  a  bulky  affair ;  its  diameter  often  being  five  feet,  and  its 
thickness  from  two  to  three  feet.     It  is  not  much  hollowed, 
and  is  nearly  level  across  the  top.     Of  numbers  of  eggs  of 
this  bird,  that  I  have  examined,  I  could  see  no  material 
difference  as  to  shape  or  color;  the  form  being  nearly 
spherical,  and  the  color  a  dirty  yellowish-white.     Length 
of  specimens  varies  from  2.93  to  3.07  inches;   breadth, 
from  2.31  to  2.47  inches. 

PANDION,  Savigkt. 

Pandion,  Savigny,  Hist.  Nat.  d'Egypt,  I.  95  (1809). 

Wings  very  long;  general  form  heavy,  and  not  adapted  to  vigorous  or  swift 
flight  like  the  preceding  eagles;  bill  short,  curved  from  the  base,  compressed;  tarsi 
thick  and  strong,  and  covered  with  small  circular  scales;  claws  large,  curved,  very 
sharp ;    oes  beneath  rough ;  tail  moderate  or  rather  short. 

This  genus  contains  three  or  four  species  onlj,  nearly  alUed  to  each  other,  and 
inhabiting  all  temperate  regions  of  the  world. 

PAHPION  OAEOLINENSIS.  — Bonaparte. 

The  Fish-hawk.    Osprey. 

Falco'carolineruiB,  Gm.    Syst.  Nat,  I.  268  (1788). 
AquHa  piicatrix,  VieiUot.    Ois.  d'Am.  Sept.,  I.  29  (180T). 
Pandion  Americanus,  VieiUot.    Gal.  Ois.,  I.  83  (1825). 
Falco  halitetai,  Linnseus.    Wilson,  Am.  Om.,  V.  14. 
Falco  haliahts,  Linnseus.    Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  I.  416. 


w^gmsmm^msmmmi: , 


MMi 


i 


66 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


Description. 

Wings  long;  legs,  toes,  and  claws  very  robust  and  strong. 
Adult.  — HcaA  and  entire  under  parts  white;  stripe  tliroagh  the  eye,  top  of  tho 
head,  and  upper  parts  of  the  body,  wings  and  tail  deep  umber-brown,  taU  having 
about  eight  bands  of  blackish-brown;  breasr,  with  numerous  cordate  and  circular 
spots  of  pale  yellowish-brown;  bill  and  claws  bluish-black;  tarsi  and  toes  green- 
ish-yellow ;  iris  reddish-yellow. 

Young.  —  Similar  to  the  adult,  but  with  the  upper  plumage  edged  and  tipped 
with  pale-brownish,  nearly  white;  spots  on  the  breast  more  numerous  and  darker 
colored. 

Total  length,  female,  about  twenty-flve  taches;  wing,  twenty-one  inches;  tail, 
t«n  and  a  half  inches.    Male,  rather  smaller. 

"  Soon  as  the  sun,  great  ruler  of  the  year, 
Bends  to  our  northern  climes  his  bright  career, 
And  from  the  caves  of  Ocean  calls  from  slee 
The  fini.y  shoals  and  myriads  of  the  deep  ; 
When  freezing  tempests  back  to  Greenland  ride, 
And  day  and  night  the  equal  hours  divide,  — 
True  to  the  season,  o'er  our  sea-beat  shore, 
The  sailing  Osprey  high  is  seen  to  sot. 
.  With  broad,  unmoving  wing ;  and,  cir.  J».g  slow, 

Marks  each  loose  straggler  in  the  deep  below. 
Sweeps  down  like  lightning,  plunges  with  a  roar, 
And  bears  his  struggling  victim  to  the  shore. 

The  long-housed  fisherman  beholds  with  joy 
The  well-known  signals  of  his  rough  employ ; 
And,  as  he  bears  his  nets  and  oars  along. 
Thus  hails  the  welcome  season  with  a  song  :  — 

THE  FISHERMAN'S  HYMN. 

The  Osprey  sails  above  the  sound ; 

The  geese  are  gone,  the  gulls  are  flying; 
The  herring-shoals  swarm  thick  around ; 
The  nets  are  launched,  the  boats  are  plying. 
Yo,  ho,  my  hearts !  let's  seek  the  deep, 

Baise  high  the  song,  and  cheerly  wish  her. 
Still,  as  tiie  bending  net  we  sweep, 
'  God  bless  the  Fish-hawk  and  the  flshcr  I ' 

She  brings  us  fish  :  she  brings  us  spring. 

Good  times,  fair  weather,  wirmth,  and  plenty ; 

Fine  store  of  shad,  trout,  herring,  ling. 
Sheep's-head  and  drum,  and  old-wives  dainty. 


«s'«; 


ar 
li- 
ed 

ul. 


THE   FISH-HAWK.  67 

Yo,  ho,  my  hearts !  let's  seek  the  deep, 

Ply  every  oar,  and  cheerly  wish  her, 
Still  as  the  bending  net  we  sweep, 

'  God  bless  the  Fish-hawk  and  the  fisher  ! ' 

She  rears  her  young  on  yonder  tree ; 

S!ie  leaves  her  faithful  mate  to  mind  'em  ; 
Like  us,  for  fish,  she  sails  to  sea, 
And,  plunging,  shows  us  where  to  find  'em. 
Yo,  ho,  my  hearts !  let's  seek  the  deep. 
Ply  every  oar,  ajd  cheerly  wish  her, 
While  the  slow-bending  net  we  sweep, 
'  God  bless  the  Fish-hawk  and  the  fisher ! '  " 

Alexander  Wilson. 


I 


The  common  and  well-known  bird  which  furnishes  the 
theme  of  tlie  above  beautiful  verses  is  a  summer  inhabitant 
of  New  England  along  the  whole  coast,  and  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  large  sheets  of  water.  The  males  arrive  from  the 
south  about  the  middle  of  April,  and  the  females  about  a 
week  later.  I  believe  that  the  same  pair  are  constant  to 
each  other  for  several  years:  those  that  commence  their 
matrimonial  career  in  the  spring  usually  mate  about  the 
first  week  in  May,  in  our  latitude.  The  movements  of 
the  male,  while  paying  court  to  the  female,  are  interesting; 
and,  as  Audubon  has  described  them  better  than  I  can 
myself,  I  will  give  his  descriptior  :  — 

"  As  Roon  as  the  females  make  their  appearance,  which  happens 
eight  or  ten  days  after  the  arrival  of  the  males,  the  love-season 
commences,  and,  soon  after,  iBcubation  takes  place.  The  loves  of 
these  birds  are  conducted  in  a  different  way  froji  those  of  the 
other  falcons.  The  males  are  seen  playing  through  the  air  amongst 
themselves,  chasing  each  other  in  sport,  or  sailing  by  the  side  or 
after  the  female  which  they  have  selected,  uttering  cries  of  joy 
and  exultation,  alighting  on  the  branches  of  the  tree  on  which 
their  last  year's  nest  i:  yet  seen  remaining,  and  doubtless  congratu- 
lating each  other  on  finding  their  home  again.  Their  caresses  are 
mutual.  They  begin  to  augment  their  habitation,  or  to  repair  tlie 
injuries  which  it  may  have  sustained  during  the  winter,  and  are 


1B^|!#k 


wmtHi 


58 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


Been  sailing  together  towards  the  shore's,  to  collect  the  drifted 
seaweeds,  with  which  they  line  the  nest  anew.  They  alight  on  the 
beach,  search  for  the  dryest  and  largest  weeds,  collect  a  mass  of 
them,  clench  them  in  their  talons,  and  fly  towards  their  nest,  with 
the  materials  dangling  beneath.  They  both  alight  and  labor 
together.  In  a  fortnight,  the  nest  is  complete,  and  the  female 
deposits  her  eggs." 

The  nest  is  generally  placed  in  a  large  tree  in  the  imme- 
diate vicinity  of  the  water,  either  along  the  seashore,  on  the 
margins  of  the  inland  lakes,  or  by  some  large  river.     It  is, 
however,  sometimes  to  be  seen  in  the  interior  of  a  wood,  a 
mile  or  more  from  the  water.    I  have  concluded,  that,  in 
the  latter  case,  it  was  on  account  of  frequent  disturbance, 
or  attempts  at  destruction,  that  the  birds  had  removed  from 
their  usual  haunts.    The  nest  is  very  large,  sometimes  meas- 
iiring  fully  four  feet  across,  and  is  composed  of  a  quantity 
of  materials  sufficient  to  render  its  depth  equal  to  its  diam- 
eter.    Large  sticks,  mixed  with  seaweeds,  tufts  of  strong 
grass,  and  other  materials,  form  its  exterior,  while  the  in- 
terior is  composed  of  seaweeds  and  finer  grasses.    I  have 
not  observed  that  any  particular  species  of  tree  is  preferred 
by  the  Fish-hawk.     It  places  its  nest  in  the  fork  of  an  oak 
or  a  pine  with  equal  pleasure.     But  I  have  observed  that 
the  tree  chosen  is  usually  of  considerable  size,  and  not  un- 
frequently  a  decayed  one. 

The  Fish-hawk  is  gregarious,  and  often  breeds  in  colonies 
of  three  or  four  nests  in  an  area  of  a  few  acres.  The  males 
assist  in  incubation. 

I  have  heard  of  instances  of  as  many  as  a  dozen  nests 
being  found  in  the  distance  of.  half  a  mile  on  the  coast  of 

New  Jersey. 

In  New  England,  the  species  is  not  so  plentiful,  and  sel- 
dom more  than  one  nest  can  be  found  in  one  locality.  The 
fiight  of  the  bird  is  strong,  vigorous,  and  w^U  sustained. 
Aa  he  flies  over  the  ocean,  at  a  height  of  perhaps  fifty 


. 


4±. 


THE   FISH-HAWK. 


59 


feet,  his  long  wings,  as  they  beat  the  air  in  qtiick,  sharp 
strokes,  give  the  bird  the  appearance  of  being  muqh  hirger 
than  he  really  is.  When  he  plunges  into  the  water,  he 
invariably  seizes  tlio  fish,  his  prey,  in  his  talons,  and  is 
sometimes  immersed  to  the  depth  of  a  foot  or  eighteen 
inclies  in  his  efforts  to  capture  it.  He  is  of  a  peaceable 
disposition,  and  never  molests  any  of  his  feathered  neigh- 
bors. If  the  nest  is  plundered,  the  parent  attacks  the  in- 
truder, and  often  inflicts  ugly  wounds  in  its  defence. 

Mr.  Allen,  in  his  notes  on  the  "  Rarer  Birds  of  Massa- 
chusetts," remarks  while  the  osprey  "breeds  abundantly 
on  the  New  Jersey  coast,  on  portions  of  Long  Island,  on 
the  coast  of  Maine  and  about  the  large  lakes  in  the  interior, 
it  is  now,  only  seen  in  this  state,  (Massachusetts,)  so  far  as 
I  can  learn,  during  its  migrations." 

During  the  past  winter,  I  have  had  frequent  conversa- 
tions with  hunters  and  others,  interested  in  our  birds,  who 
are  residents  of  Plymouth  and  Barnstable  counties,  and 
their  testimony  is  that  in  the  large  tracts  of  vroodland  in 
those  counties,  such  as  the  Plymouth  and  Sandwich  woods, 
the  osprey  nests,  not  in  communities,  but  so  frequently  that 
the  birds  and  nests  are  often  found. 

The  eggs  are  usually  laid  before  the  10th  of  May :  they 
are  generally  three  in  number.  They  vary  considerably, 
both  in  shape,  size,  and  markings.  In  a  majority  of  speci- 
mens in  my  collection,  the  ground-color  is  a  rich  reddish- 
cream,  and  covered  with  numerous  blotches  of  different 
shades  of  brown.  In  a  number  of  specimens,  these  blotches 
are  confluent,  and  the  primary  color  is  nearly  hidden.  Their 
form  varies  from  nearly  spherical  to  ovoidal,  and  the  dimen- 
sions from  2.28  to  2.44  inches  in  length,  and  from  1.65  to 
1.83  in  breadth. 


m 


60  ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


Family  STRIGID^.    The  Owls. 

Form  usually  short  and  heavy,  with  the  head  disproportionately  large,  and  fre- 
quently furnished  with  erectile  tufts  of  feathers,  resembling  the  ears  of  quadrupeds. 
General  organization  adapted  to  vigorous  and  noiseless,  but  not  rapid,  flight,  and  to 
the  capture  of  animals  in  tiie  morning  and  evening  twilight. 

Eyes  usually  very  large,  directed  forwards,  and,  in  the  greater  number  of  species, 
formed  for  seeing  by  twilight  or  in  the  night;  bill  rather  strong,  curved,  nearly 
concealed  by  projecting,  bristlo-like  feathers;  wings  generally  long,  outer  edges  of 
primary  quills  fringed;  legs  generally  rather  short,  and  in  all  species,  except  in  one 
Asiatic  genus  (Ketiipa),  more  or  less  feathered,  generally  densely;  cavity  of  the  ear 
very  large;  face  encircled  by  a  ipore  or  less  perfect  disc  of  short,  rigid  feathers, 
which,  with  the  large  eyes,  gives  to  those  birds  an  entirely  peculiar  and  frequently 
catlike  expression.    Female  larger  than  the  1 1  Je. 

Sub-Family  Bubonin^. — The  Homed  ^wls. 

Head  large,  with  erectile  and  prominent  ear-tufts;  eyeslu-ge;  facial  disc  not 
complete  above  the  eyes  and  bill;  legs,  feet,  and  claws  usually  very  strong;. 

BUBO,  CoviEE. 

Bubo,  CoviEK,  E6gne  Animal,  L  831  (1817). 

Size  large;  general  form  very  robust  and  powerflil;  head  large,  with  conspicuous 
ear-tufts;  eyes  very  large;  wings  long;  tail  short;  legs  and  toes  very  strong,  densely 
feathered;  claws  very  strong;  bill  rather  short,  strong,  curved,  covered  at  base  by 
projecting  feathers. 

This  genus  includes  the  large  Homed  Owls,  or  Cat  Owls,  as  they  are  sometimes 
called.  These  birds  are  most  numerous  in  Asia  and  Africa,  and  there  are  in  all 
couatriei  about  fifteen  species. 

BUBO  TlUQlSlkTUVS.— Bonaparte. 

The  Oraat  Horned  Owl. 

Strix  Virginiana,  Gm.  Syst.  Nat,  I.  287  (1788).  Bonap.  Syn.,  p.  87.  Nutt,  L 
124.    Wilson,  Audubon,  and  others. 

Bubo  artioui,  Swains.    Faun.  Bor.    Am.  Birds,  p.  86  (1831). 


Description. 
.ilrfuft.— Large  and  strongly  organized;  ear-tufts  large,  erectile;  bill  strong, 
fully  curved;  wing  rather  long;  third  quill  usually  longest;  tail  short;  legs  and 
toes  robust,  and  densely  covered  with  short,  downy  feathers;  claws  very  strong, 
sharp,  curved;  variable  in  plumage,  from  nearly  white  to  dark-brown,  usually 
with  the  upper  parts  davk-brown,  every  feather  mottled,  and  with  irregular  trans- 
verse lines  of  pale-ashy  and  reddish-fulvous,  the  latter  being  the  color  of  all  the 
nlumage  at  the  bases  of  the  feathers;  ear-tufts  dark-brown,  nearly  black,  edged  on 


»'.'llPWIJil» 


THE  GREA.T  HORNED  OWL. 


61 


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their  inner  webs  with  dnrk-fulvoug ;  a  black  ipot  above  the  eye;  radiating  feathers 
behind  the  eye,  varying  in  color  from  nearly  white  to  dark  rcddish-fulvoiia,  usually 
the  latter;  feathers  of  the  facial  disc  tipped  with  black;  throat  and  neck  before,  white; 
breast  with  wide  longitudinal  stripes  of  black;  other  under  parts  variegated  w'th 
white  and  fulvous,  and  every  feather  having  transverse,  narrow  lines  of  dark-brown , 
middle  of  the  abdomen  frequently,  but  not  always,  white;  legs  and  toes  varying 
from  white  to  dark-fulvous,  usually  pale-fulvous ;  in  most  specimens  unspotted,  but 
frequently,  and  probably  always  in  fully  mature  specimens,  with  transverse,  narrow 
bars  of  dark -brown;  quills  brown,  with  wide  transverse  bands  of  cinereous,  and 
usually  tinged  on  the  inner  webs  with  pale  fulvous;  tail  the  same,  with  the  fulvous 
predominating  on  the  outer  feathers;  iris  yellow;  bill  and  claws  bluish-black. 

Dimemions. —  Vema]e,  length,  twenty-one  to  twenty-ilve  inches;  wing,  fourteen 
and  a  half  to  sixteen;  fail,  ten  inches.  Male,  eighteen  to  twenty-one  inches;  wing, 
fourteen  to  fifteen;  tail,  nine  inches. 

THIS  well-known  bird  is  a  resident  in  all  the  New-England 
States  throughout  the  year.   It  is  not  so  common  in  Mas- 
sachusetts, Connecticut,  and  Rhode  Island  as  in  the  other 
States,  where,  in  the  vast  tracts  of  forest,  it  is  quite-abun- 
dant ;  so  much  so,  that  I  have  heard  several  of  them  at  the 
same  time  making  "  night  hideous  with  their  discordant, 
mournful  cries."    Never  sliall  I  forget  a  serenade  I  once  had 
the  pleasure  of  hearing  in  the  State  of  Maine,  in  which  this 
bird  maintained  the  basso.     We  were  encamped  on  the 
shores  of  Lake  Umbagog :  our  tent  was  pitched  on  a  bluff 
overlooking  the  lake,  and  behind  us  was  the  deep,  dark 
forest  of  pines  and  hemlocks.     We  had  just  got  fairly  into 
our  first  nap,  the  sweet  follower  of  our  day's  toils,  when  we 
were  awakened  by  the  hootings  of  one  of  these  owls,  "  Waugh, 
hoo,  hoo,  hoo!"  or  "Who  cooks  for  you?"  as  the  Western 
traveller  understood  it,  which  seemed  to  be  addressed  to  us 
from  a  tree  almost  over  our  tent.     We  listened :  presently 
another  took  up  the  theme,  and  then  both  together.     They 
had  scarcely  finished  their  duet,  v/hen,  from  away  up  the 
lake,  came  the  shrill,  mournful  cry  or  scream  of  the  Loon : 
this  was  continued  and  answered  by  others,  until,  with  owls 
and  loons,  the  night  was  vocal  with  melodious   sounds. 
After  this  had  died  away,  and  all  was  still,  there  came  from 
a  bush  near  our  tent  the  almost  heavenly  song  of  the  White- 
throateri  "parrow,  the  "Nightmgale  of  the  North."     One 


i<M$MMl«rfu. 


62 


OUNITUOLOOY   AND   OOLOGY. 


cannot  imagine  the  effect  produced  by  tlio  contrast :  he  must 
be  on  the  spot  in  tlie  dark  night,  and,  througli  the  sighing  of 
the  winds  amid  tlie  grand  old  trees,  hear  the  owls  and  loons ; 
then,  silence,  broken  by  the  beautiful  song  of  the  Nightin- 
gale. 

The  flight  of  the  Great  Horned  Owl  is  rapid,  noiseless, 
and  vigorous:  he  passes  through  the  mazes  of  the  forest 
with  great  dexterity  and  ease ;  and,  when  flying  above  the- 
trees,  frequently  soars  in  the  manner  of  the  Hawks.  He  is 
very  destructive  among  domestic  poultry,  frequent 'y  pouncing 
on  fowls  that  are  roosting  on  trees  in  the  night,  and  bearing 
them  off  in  his  powerful  grasp.  This  habit  has  rendered 
him  obnoxious  to  the  farmers,  who  lose  no  opportunity  for 
destroying  him.  Rabbits,  grouse,  and  other  birds,  fall  vic- 
tims to  his  rapacity ;  and  I  have  often  shot  individuals  of 
this  species,  whose  feathers  were  so  impregnated  with  the 
peculiar  odor  of  the  skunk  as  to  be  unbearable  at  a  near 
approach. 

When  a  flock  of  crows  discover  the  presence  of  one  of 
these  birds,  they  immediately  collect  from  all  quarters,  and 
attack  him  on  every  side,  uttering  their  harsh,  discordant 
cries  :  the  owl  is  kept  dancing  and  dodging  on  the  limb,  his 
perch,  in  a  ludi^^rous  manner ;  if  he  takes  to  flight,  he  is 
pursued  by  his  enemies,  and  soon  forced  to  alight.  I  have 
often  been  enabled  to  procure  a  specimen,  by  following 
a  noisy  mob  of  this  description ;  just  as  we  often  are  able 
to  secure  one  of  the  smaller  owls  by  proceeding  to  the  copse 
where  numbers  of  small  birds  —  cat-birds,  chewinks,  and 
thrushes  —  are  scolding  at  their  enemy. 

I  have  had  several  specimens  of  the  Great  H  rned  Owl 
in  captivity :  they  make  amusing  pets.  When  fed  with  raw 
meat,  they  seldom  take  it  freely  from  the  hand  or  tongs ; 
and  often  can  be  made  to  swallow  it,  only  by  our  opening 
their  bills,  and  putting  in  the  moat.  They  seem  to  have 
the  power  of  seeing  by  daylight ;  for,  if  a  living  animal  is 
introduced  into  their  cage,  they  instantly  seize  it.    I  have 


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THE   GREAT    UOIINEI)   OWL. 


68 


often  put  in  a  dead  niouso,  with  a  Hiring  attached  to  it, 
by  which  1  dragged  it  across  tlio  cage:  an  owl  instantly 
seized  it,  as  if  it  wero  alive,  and  ate  it.  A  living  bat  (  Fc»- 
pertilio  Carolinmiis} ,  on  being  introduced,  was  instantly 
seized,  but,  after  being  killed,  was  rejected.  Tlie  strong 
musky  scent  peculiar  to  those  animaih  may  have  been  the 
reason  for  the  owl's  not  eating  it :  if  not,  1  cannot  account 
for  it. 

In  eating  its  prey,  the  Owl  stands  on  it  with  both  feet,  and 
tears  it  with  its  bill :  if  the  piece  torn  off  is  largo,  the  head 
is  thrown  back,  and  the  repeated  contraciion  of  the  muscles 
of  the  throat  forces  it  down.  In  holding  a  mouse  or  other 
small  object,  all  the  talons  of  one  foot  aro  clenched  in  it, 
while  the  other  foot  is  left  free.  On  being  approached,  this 
Owl,  as  indeed  do  almost  all  the  others,  faces  the  intruder, 
and  follows  his  motions  by  turning  his  head,  at  the  same 
time  snapping  his  bill. 

In  drinking,  the  bill  is  immersed,  and  repeated  swallows 
aro  taken,  after  the  manner  of  the  pigeons. 

The  Great  Horned  Owl  chooses  for  its  breeding-places  the 
most  retired  and  inaccessible  places  in  the  deep  forests  ;  and 
the  student  might  search  for  weeks  for  its  nest,  and  not  find 
it  unless  by  accident.  It  is  usually  built  in  a  fork  of  a  tall 
tree,  but  is  sometimes  made  in  a  hollow  of  a  tree  or  in  the 
top  of  a  stub  or  stump.  Audubon  found  it  twice  in  fissures 
of  rocks.  It  is  constructed  of  sticks  and  twigs,  and  is  lined 
with  leaves,  grasses,  and  moss.  The  eggs  are  usually  three 
in  number;  sometimes  four,  rarely  more:  they  are  of  a 
white  color,  with  a  very  faint  yellowish  tint ;  their  shape  is 
nearly  spherical,  and  they  average  iu  size  2.25  inches  by 
2  inches. 

A  nest  that  I  found  a  few  miles  from  Marietta,  Ohio, 
about  the  middle  of  March,  1865,  was  built  in  a  tall,  hollow 
stub  of  a  beech,  which  was  cut  down  for  the  purpose  of 
being  examined.  It  was  built  of  twigs  and  sticks,  in  num- 
bers sufficient  to  fill  the  cavity :  in  the  middle  of  these  were 


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64 


OnNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


arranged  a  few  leaves  and  pieces  of  moss,  and  a  f  jw  feath- 
ers from  the  body  of  the  parent ;  on  this  nest  wt  re  found 
three  young  birds,  apparently  but  a  few  days  old,  as  they 
were  covered  with  gray  down,  and  a  few  grayish  feath- 
ers. On  being  take.i  in  the  hand,  they  clutched  it  tiglit 
with  their  claws,  and  squatted  perfectly  still.  The  iris 
of  their  eyes  was  a  light-grayish  color :  the  inside  of  their 
mouths,  eyelids,  and  ears,  were  yellowish.  At  the  foot  of 
the  stump  were  found  small  pellets  of  feathers,  small  bone?, 
and  hairs.  I  have  heard  of  the  deserted  nest  of  a  crow  or 
hawk  being  occupied  by  this  Owl ;  but  usually  it  builds  its 
own  nest. 

SCOPS,  Savignt. 

Saviont,  Nat.  Hist.  Egypt,  I.  105  (1809). 

Size  small;  ear-tufts  conspicuous ;  hen d  large;  facial  disc  imperfect  in  front  and 
about  the  eyes;  bill  short,  nearly  covered  by  projecting  feathers;  wngslong;  tail 
rather  short,  and  frequently  curved  inwards;  tarsi  rather  long,  more  or  less  fully 
covered  with  short  feathers;  toes  long,  generally  partially  covered  with  hair-liko 
feathers;   head  large. 

General  form  short  and  compact.  This  genus  contains  twenty-five  to  thirty 
species  of  small  owls,  inhabiting  all  parts  of  the  world  except  Australia. 

SCOPS  ASlO.  —  Sonaparte. 

/.  The  Motthd  Owl;  Screech  Owl;  Bed  Owl.— 

Strix  Alio,  Linnceus.    Syst  Nat.,  I.  132  (1766).    Audubon,  Wilson,  and  others 

Strix  mevia,  Gm.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  289  (1788). 

Bubo  striatui,  Vicillot.    Ois.  d'Am.  Sept.,  1.  54  (1808). 

Description. 

"  Short  and  compact;  ear-tufts  prominent;  tail  short;  tarsi  rather  long. 

"Adult.  —  Upper  parts  pale  ashy-brown,  with  longitudinal  lines  of  brownish-black, 
and  mottled  irregularly  with  the  same  and  with  cinereous ;  under  parts  ashy-white, 
with  longitudinal  stripes  of  brownish-black,  and  with  transverse  lines  of  the  same 
color;  face,  throat,  and  tarsi  ashy-white,  irregularly  lined  and  mottled  with  pale- 
brownish  ;  quills  brown,  with  transverse  bands,  nearly  white  on  the  outer  webs ; 
tail  pain  ashy-brown,  with  about  ten  transverse  narrow  bands  of  pale-cinereous; 
under  wing  coverts  white,  the  larger  tipped  with  black ;  bill  and  claws  light  horn- 
color  ;  irides  yellow. 

"  Younger.  —  Entire  upper  parts  pale  brownish-red,  with  longitudinal  lines  of 
brownish-black,  especially  on  the  head  and  scapulars;  face,  throat,  under  wing 
coverts,  and  tarsi  reddish-white;  quills  reddish-brown;  tail  rufous,  with  bands  of 
brown,  darker  on  the  inner  webs. 


..;.*^.«w»i{j»ir».«.a»" 


.w.,;CT-m!»Jy;.Fi..a!Sr 


THE   MOTTLED   OWL. 


66 


"ybunj.  — Entire  plumage  transversely  striped  with  ashy-white  and  pale-brown; 
wings  and  tail  pale-rufous. 

"  Total  length,  nine  and  a  half  to  ten  inches;  wing,  seven;  tail,  three  and  a  half 
inches.    Sexes  nearly  alike  in  size  and  color. 

"  The  stages  of  plumage  described  above  have  been  regarded  as  characterizing 
distinct  species;  and  they  do  present  a  problem  scarcely  to  b^  considered  as  fully 
solved.  This  bird  pairs  and  rears  young  while  in  the  red  plumage;  and  it  is  not 
unuBual  to  find  a  motUed  male  and  red  female  associated,  or  the  reverse."  — John 

CA88IN. 

As  with  many  of  the  other  birds  of  prey,  the  different 
plumages  in  which  this  owl  is  taken  have  caused  great  con- 
fusion ;  and,  as  Mr.  Cassin  truly  remarks,  the  matter  is  not 
yet  settled  beyond  doubt.     The 
observation  has  generally  been, 
that  the  young  birds  are  in  the 
red  plumage;    but  I  have  cer- 
tainly known   of  one  instance 
when  the  young  bird  was  in 
the  gray.     A  nest  was  found 
in    a    hollow  tree   in    Milton, 
Mass.,    in    which    there    were 
three  young  birds.    They  were  i 
permitted  to  remain ;  and  I  vis-  j 
ited  the  nest  as  often  as  every ' 
two  days  until  they  flew  off. 
The  last  time  that  I  saw  them,' 
—  the  day  before  they  left  the 
nest,— they  were  fully  fledged,  and  they  had  very  few  marks 
of  brownish-red  in  their  plumage.     Whether  this  was  an 
exceptional  case,  I  know  not ;  but  I  will  present  the  obser- 
vations of  different  ornithclogistb  which  conflict  with  my 
own.    I  will  also  quote  Audubon's  description  of  the  habits 
of  the  bird,  as  it  is  better  than  I  can  give  from  my  own 
experience,  though  it  corresponds  to  my  observations  so  far 
as  they  go.    He  says, — 

"  The  flight  of  the  Mottled  Owl  is  smooth,  rapid,  protracted,  and 
noiielesB.  It  rises  at  times  above  the  top  branches  of  the  highest 
of  our  forest  trees  whilst  in  pursuit  of  large  beetles  ;  And  at  other 

6 


66 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


times  Bails  low  and  swiftly  over  the  fields,  or  through  the  woods, 
in  search  of  small  birds,  field-mice,  moles,  or  wood-rats,  from  which 
It  chiefiy  derives  its  subsistence.  On  alighting,  —  which  it  does 
plumply,  —  the  Mottled  Owl  immediately  bends  its  body,  turns  its 
head  to  look  behind  it,  performs  a  curious  nod,  utters  its  notes, 
then  shakes  and  plumes  itself,  and  resumes  its  flight  in  search  of 
prey.  It  now  and  then,  while  on  the  wing,  produces  a  clicking 
sound  with  its  mandibles,  but  niore  frequently  when  perched  near 
its  mate  or  young.  This  I  have  thought  was  done  by  the  bird  to 
manifest  its  courage,  and  let  the  hearer  know  that  it  is  not  to  be 
meddled  with ;  although  few  birds  of  prey  are  more  gentle  when 
seized,  as  it  will  suffer  a  person  to  touch  its  feathers  and  caress  it 
without  attempting  to  bite  or  strike  with  its  talons,  unless  at  rare 
intervals. 

"The  notes  of  this  Owl  are  uttered  in  a  tremulous,  doleful 
manner,  and  somewhat  resemble  vhe  chattering  of  the  teeth  of  a 
person  under  the  influence  of  extreme  cold,  although  much  louder. 
They  are  heard  at  a  distance  of  Several  hundred  yards,  and  by 
some  people  are  thought  to  be  of  ominous  import" 

These  notes  almost  exactly  resemble  the  whimpering 
whine  of  a  small  dog,  for  which  I  have  mistaken  them  on 
different  occasions. 

"The  little  fellow  is  generally  found  about  farm-houses,  or- 
chards, and  gardens.  It  alights  on  the  roof,  the  fence,  or  the 
garden-gate,  and  utters  its  mournful  ditty,  at  intervals,  for  hours  at 
a  time,  as  if  it  were  in  a  state  of  great  suffering ;  although  this  is 
far  from  being  the  case,  —  the  song  of  all  birds  being  an  indication 
of  content  and  happiness.  In  a  state  of  confinement,  it  utters  its 
notes  with  as  much  satisfaction  as  if  at  liberty.  They  are  chiefly 
heard  during  the  latter  part  of  winter,  —  that  being  the  season  of 
love,  when  the  male  bird  is  particularly  attentive  to  the  fair  one 
which  excites  his  tender  emotions,  and  around  which  he  flies  and 
struts  much  in  the  manner  of  the  common  Pigeon,  adding  numer- 
ous nods  and  bows,  the  sight  of  which  is  very  amusing. 

"  The  young  remain  in  the  nest  until  they  are  able  to  fly.  At 
first,  they  are  cove  ed  with  a  downy  substamce  of  a  dull  yellowish- 
white.    By»the  middle  of  August,  they  are  fully  feathered,  and 


nmmmmmmm' 


tmi^fmffmmimK' 


1 


t 


THE  MOTTLED  OWL. 


67 


we  then  generally  of  a  reddish-brown,  although  considerable  differ- 
ences exist  between  individuals,  as  I  have  seen  some  of  a  deep- 
chocolate  color,  and  others  nearly  black.  The  feathers  change 
their  colors  as  the  pairing  season  advances,  and  in  the  first  spring 
the  bird  is  in  the  perfect  dress." 

J.  P.  Norris,  writing  in  the  "  Country  Gentleman," 
Jan.  11, 1866,  says  that  he  secured  two  young  birds  of  this 
species  when  covered  with  down,  and  kept  them  until  they 
had  become  feathered,  when  their  plumage  was  decidedly 
red  in  color. 

J.  P.  Giraud,  in  his  "  Birds  of  Long  Island,"  g^s  a 
letter  from  J.  G.  Bell,  of  New  York,  in  which  that  gentle- 
man says,  that  he  has  taken  the  young  birds  from  the  nest, 
covered  with  grayish-brown,  and  kept  them  through  their 
first  plumage,  which  was  red  in  color. 

These  and  other  writers  seem  to  agree  that  the  red  plum- 
age is  that  of  the  bird  in  the  first  year.  I  leave  it  to 
future  experimenters  to  determine  the  matter  beyond  a 
doubt. 

This  bird  feeds  largely  on  the  injujioua  night-flying 
moths  and  beetles.  Numbers  of  specimens  that  I  have 
examined,  contained  in  their  stomachs  parts  of  these  in- 
sects and  small  mammals :  very  seldom  indeed  did  they 
have  feathers  or  other  parts  of  birds. 

The  Mottled  Owl  selects  for  a  nesting-place  a  hollow 
tree,  often  in  the  orchard,  and  commences  laying  at  about 
the  first  of  May,  in  the  latitude  of  the  middle  of  Massachu- 
setts. The  nest  is  made  at  the  bottom  of  the  hollow,  and 
is  constructed  of  grass,  leaves,  moss,  and  sometimes  a  few 
feathers.  It  is  not  elaborately  made,  being  nothing  more 
than  a  heap  of  soft  materials.  The  eggs  are  usually  four 
in  number :  they  are  pure-white,  smooth,  and  nearly  spher- 
ical in  form.  Their  length  varies  from  1.30  to  1.87  inch ; 
breadth  from  1.18  to  1.25  inch.  The  eggs  are  often  laid  on 
the  chips  at  the  bottom  of  the  hollow;  no  attempt  at  a 
nest  being  made. 


m 


a 


H 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


OTUS,  CoviKB. 

Otui,  CuviER,  B^gne  Animal,  I.  827  (1817).  .      .       j 

General  form  longer  and  more  slender  than  in  tbo  preceding  genera;  head  mod- 
erate;  ear-tulte  long,  erectile;  bill  rather  short,  curved  irora  the  base;  tocial  d.so 
more  perfect  than  in  the  preceding;  wings  long;  tail  moderate;  Urs.  and  toes  cov- 
ered  with  short  feathers;  claws  long,  curved;  eyes  rather  small,  and  surrounded  by 

radiating  feathers.  ^  .        n    «  „i,!„i.  .»> 

This  gen,i8  contains  ten  or  twelve  species  of  vanons  countnes,  all  of  which  are 
more  handsome  birds  than  are  usually  met  with  in  this  family. 

OTUS  WILSOHIABTJS.— Z.e«»o«. 

•<  The  Long-eared  Owl. "~ 

» 
OtM  WiltonianvB,  Lesson.    Traite  d'Om.,  1. 110  (1881). 
Oiut  Americanui,  Bonaparte.    Comp.  List,  7  (1888).    Syn.,  87. 
Strix  olu»,  Wilson.    Bonaparte's  edition,  449. 
Btrix  otut,  Linnaeus.    Aud.  Cm.  Biog.,  IV.  672.    Nuttall,  L  130. 

DESCRIPnOR. 

Ear-tuft8  long  and  conspicuous;  eyes  rather  small;  wings  long;  tarsi  and  toe. 
densely  fekthered;  upper  parU  mottled  with  brownish-black,  Mvous  and  ashy- 
whiie,  the  former  predominating;  breast  pale-fulvous,  with  longUudmal  stnpcs  of 
brownish-black;  abdomen  white;  every  feather  with  a  wide  long.tudmal  stnpe,  and 
with  transverse  stripes  of  brownish-black;  legs  and  toes  pale-fulvous  usually 
unspotted,  but  frequentiy  with  irregular  narrow  transverse  stripes  of  dark-brown; 
eye  nearly  encircled  witlrblack,  other  feathers  of  the  face  ashy-wh.te,  with  minute 
Unes  of  black;  ear-tnfts  brownish-black  edged  with  fulvous  and  ashy-white;  qudls 
pale-fulvous  at  their  bases,  with  irregular  transverse  bands  of  brow^;  inftrior 
TverU  of  the  wing  pale-fulvous,  frequently  nearly  white;  the  larger  ^dejy  t'PPed 
with  black;  tail  brown,  with  several  irregular  transverse  bands  of  ashy-inlvous, 
which  are  mottled,  as  on  the  quills;  bill  and  claws  dark  horn-color;  mdes  yellow. 

Total  length,  female,  about  fifteen  inches;  wing,  eleven  to  eleven  and  a  half;  taU, 
•ix  inches.    Male  rather  smaller. 

This  species  is  rather  common  in  New  England,  rather 
preferring  the  less  settled  districts  to  the  others.  It  is 
eminently  nocturnal  in  its  hahits,  and  has  the  power  of  see- 
ing in  the  daytime  to  a  less  degree  than  any  of  the  other 
species  with  which  I  am  acquainted. 

A  specimen  that  I  once  had,  as  a  pet,  could  not  see  my 
hand  as  it  approached  him,  and  would  permit  my  finger  to 
touch  his  eye  before  he  drew  over  it  the  thin  nictitating 
membrane  given  to  all  birds  to  protect  this  delicate  organ. 

I  do  not  remember  of  ever  hearing  this  owl  utter  a  cry 


1 


f 


m 


pHM* 


THE  LONG-EARED  OWL. 


69 


r 


in  its  nocturnal  i-ambles;  and  I  think  that  it  Imnta  in 
silence,  except,  perhaps,  in  the  mating  season. 

The  specimen  in  my  possession  would  not  eat  in  the  day- 
time ;  and,  if  I  fed  it  then,  was  obliged  to  push  the  food  down 
its  throat  with  my  finger :  at  night,  it  fed  readily  on  raw 
meat,  but  was  rather  loath  to  eat  when  I  was  by,  or  when  a 
lamp  was  near  its  cage.  I  had  water  always  accessible  to 
it,  but  never  saw  it  drink,  and  think,  that,  in  the  space  of 
two  months,  it  drank  not  more  than  two  or  three  times  ;  or, 
if  it  did,  the  quantity  it  took  was  so  small  as  not  to  be 
appreciable. 

Notwithstanding  the  comparative  abundance  of  this  spe- 
cies, its  breeding  habits  are  not  well  known.  I  have  been 
so  fortunate  as  to  find  several  nests,  all  of  which  were  built 
in  forks  of  tall  ^ines,  and  constructed  of  twigs  and  leaves. 
Audubon  says :  — 

"  The  Long-eared  Owl  is  careless  as  to  the  situation  in  which 
its  young  are  to  be  reared,  and  generally  accommodates  itself  vrith 
the  abandoned  nest  of  some  other  bird  that  proves  of  sufficient 
size,  whether  it  be  high  or  low;  in  the  fissure  of  a  rock  or  on  the 
ground.  Sometimes,  however,  it  makes  a  nest  itself;  and  this  I 
found  to  be  the  case  in  one  instance  near  the  Juniata  River,  in 
Pennsylvania,  where  it  was  composed  of  green  twigs,  with  the 
leaflets  adhering,  and  lined  with  fresh  grass  and  wool,  but  without 
any  feathers." 

Wilson  describes  its  breeding  habits  as  follows  :  — 
"  About  six  or  seven  miles  below  Philadelphia,  and  not  far  from 
the  Delaware,  is  a  low  sv  -np,  thickly  covered  with  trees,  and 
inundated  during  a  great  part  of  the  year.  This  place  is  the  resort 
of  great  numbers  of  the  qua  bird  (Night  Heron),  wher^  they  build 
in  large  companies.  On  the  25th  of  AprU,  while  wading  through 
the  dark  recesses  of  this  place,  observing  the  habits  of  these  birds, 
I  discovered  a  Long-eared  Owl,  which  had  taken  possession  of  one 
of  their  nests,  and  was  setting.  On  mounting  to  the  nest,  I  found 
it  contained  four  eggs;  and,  breaking  one  of  them,  the  young 
appeared  almost  ready  to  leave  the  shell.    There  were  numbers  of 


•mimmmmmmm 


70 


OIINITHOLOOY    AND   OOLOOY. 


I 


if 


the  qua  birds'  neats  on  the  adjoining  trees  all  around,  and  one 
of  them  actually  on  the  same  tree." 

Ths  reader  will  perceive  from  the  above  account  of  the 
breeding  habits  of  this  bird,  that  it  is  variable  in  its  choice 
of  a  nesting-place,  although  every  nest  that  I  have  found, 
or  known  of,  was  built  in  tall  pines,  and  constructed  as 
above ;  and  I  have  known  instances  where  the  same  nest 
was  used  for  successive  breeding  seasons. 

T!ie  eggs  are  generally  four  in  number,  seldom  more. 
They  are  nearly  spherical  in  form,  and  of  a  pure-white 
color.  Dimensions  of  specimens  in  my  collection  vary  from 
1.40  to  1.60  inch  in  length,  by  from  1.30  to  1.40  inch  iu 
breadth. 

BKACHYOTOS,  Gould. 

k 

BrachyotuifGovisi,  Proc.  Zool.  Soc,  London,  1837, 10. 

Ear-tuft»  very  short  and  inconspicuous;  general  form  rather  strong;  wings  long; 
tail  moderate;  legs  rather  long,  which,  with  the  toes,  are  fully  covered  with  short 
feathers;  claws  long,  very  sharp,  and  rather  slender;  head  moderate;  eyes  rather^ 
small,  surrounded  by  radiating  feathers;  facial  disc  imperfect  on  the  forehead  and* 
above  the  eyes ;  tail  moderate. 

This  genus  contains  four  or  five  species  only,  the  two  best  known  of  wulch  are 
the  European. 

BEACHTOTUS  CA&StSll.  —  Brewer. 
The  Short-eared  Owl. 

Brachj/oltu  Cauinii,  Brewer.    Proc.  Boston  Soc  of  Nat.  Hist. 
Strix  brachyotut,  Forster.    Phil.  Trans.,  London,  LXIL  884  (1772). 
Strix  Wachyotut,  Linnieus.    Wilson  and  others. 

Dbscmption.  •' 

Ear-tufts  very  short;  entire  plumage  buff  or  pale-ftilvous;  every  feather  on  the 
upper  parts  with  a  wide  longitudinal  stripe  of  dark-brown,  which  color  predominates 
on  the  back;  nnder  parts  paler,  frequently  nearly  white  on  the  abdomen,  with 
longitudinal  stripes  of  brownish-bluck,  most  numerous  on  the  breast,  very  narrow 
and  less  numerous  on  the  abdomen  and  flanks;  legs  and  toes  usually  of  a  deeper 
shade  of  the  same  color  as  the  abdomen;  quills  pale  reddish-fulvous  at  their  bases, 
brown  at  their  ends,  with  wide  irregular  bands  and  large  spots  of  reddish-fulvous; 
tail  pale  reddish-fulvous,  with  about  five  irregular  transverse  bands  of  dark-brown, 
which  color  predominates  on  the  two  central  feathers;  under  tail  coverts  usually 
nearly  white;  throat  white;  eyes  enclosed  by  large  spots  of  brownish-black;  ear- 
tufts  brown,  edged  witli  fiilvous;  bill  and  claws  dark;  irides  yellow. 

Toial  length,  female,  about  fifteen  inches;  wing,  twelve;  tail,  six  inches.  Male 
rathcJ'  smaller. 


i 


"■ss^' 


t 


THE  GRAY  0WL8. 


n 


I  rogrct  being  iiiiahle  to  add  any  thing  to  our  knowledge 
of  tlio  history  of  this  bird.  I  have  had  no  opportunities 
for  observing  its  habits,  and  know  of  nothing  tliat  has  been 
noted  recently  which  will  add  to  our  information.  It  is 
not  common  in  any  part  of  New  England,  and  is,  I  believe, 
more  often  met  with  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  seacoast 
than  elsewhere.  I  have  never  met  with  its  nest,  but  have 
no  doubt  that  it  breeds  in  these  States,  as  specimens  are 
occasionally  taken  here  in  summer. 

Richardson  says  that  its  nest  is  formed  of  withered  grass 
and  moss,  and  is  built  on  the  ground.  Dr.  Bryant  ("  Pro- 
ceedings of  Boston  Society  of  Natural  History,"  January, 
1857)  describes  a  nest  found  on  an  island  in  the  Bay  of 
Fundy  as  follows  :  — 

"  A  nest  of  this  bird  was  found  by  Mr.  Cubot  in  the  midst  of  a 
dry  peaty  bog.  It  was  built  on  the  ground,  in  a  very  slovenly 
manner,  of  small  sticks  and  a  few  feathers,  and  presented  hardly 
any  excavation.  It  contained  four  eggs  on  the  point  of  being 
hatched." 

The  eggs  of  this  species  are  of  a  pure-white  color,  and 
vary  in  dimensions  from  1.65  inch  by  1.20  inch  to  1.50  inch 
by  1.23  inch. 


Sub-Family  STRNiWiE.  —  The  Gray  Owls. 

Head  large,  with  very  stnall  and  concealed  ear-tufts,  or  entirely  without.  Facial 
disc  nearly  perfect;  eyes  small  for  the  family  of  owls:  wings  rather  short,  or  not  so 
long  as  in  the  preceding;  tarsi  and  toes  generally  fully  feathered.  This  group  con- 
tains some  of  the  largest  of  owls;  generally,  however,  the  size  is  medium,  and  fre- 
quently small. 

8TBNIUM,  Savwhy. 

Symiuro,  Savigny,  Nat.  Hist.  Egypt,  I.  112  (1809). 

Size  usually  large;  head  large,  without  ear-tufts;  eyes  rather  small;  facial  disc 
somewhat  imperfect  in  front;  bUI  strong,  curved  from  its  base;  wings  moderate, 
somewhat  rounded;  fourth  and  fifth  quills  longest;  tail  rather  long,  wide,  and  usu- 
ally rounded  at  the  end;  legs  moderate,  or  rather  long,  which,  with  the  toes,  are 
densely  covered  with  short  feathers;  claws  long,  strong,  very  sharp. 


72 


OKNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOOY. 


Species  of  thi»  genu«  inhabit  principally  tlio  northern  part*  of  the  world,  and  art 
generally  characterized  by  the  prevalence  of  gray  or  clnereoun,  of  varioua  nhadea,  in 
their  plumage. 

BTRHItTK  CIHEEEUM.  — iiu<<u«oii. 
The  Great  Gray  Owl. 

Btrix  cintrea,  Gra.    Syst.  Nat,  I.  291  (1T88).    Aud.  Om.  IJiog.,  IV.  864. 
Stria!  accKiTkjtor,  Bartrara.    Travel*,  288  (1790). 

Dkscbiption. 

The  largest  Owl  of  North  America.  Head  very  largo;  eyes  small;  tall  rather 
long;  upper  parts  smoky  or  ashy  brown,  mottled  and  transversely  barred  with 
ashy-white;  under  parts  ashy-white,  with  numerous  longitudinal  stripes  of  dark 
ashy-brown  predominating  on  the  breast,  and  with  transverse  stripes  of  the  same  on 
t^eiibdomen,  legs,  and  under  tail  coverts;  quills  brown,  with  about  Hve  wide,  irregu- 
lar bands  of  ashy-white;  tail  brown,  with  five  or  six  wide,  irregular  bands  of  ashy- 
white,  mottled  with  dark-brown;  feathers  of  the  disc  on  the  neck  tipped  with  white; 
eye  nearly  encircled  by  a  black  spot;  radiating  feathers  around  the  eye,  with  regular 
transverse  narrow  bars  of  dark-brown  and  ashy-white;  bill  pale-yellow;  claws  pale 
yellowish-white,  darker  at  their  tips ;  iris  bright-yellow. 

Total  length,  twenty-flve  to  thirty  inches;  wing,  eighteen;  tail,  twelve  to  fifteen 
inches. 

This  bird  is  an  extremely  rare  winter  visitor  in  New  Eng- 
land ;  appearing  only  in  the  southern  districts  of  these 
States,  in  Massachnsetts  even,  in  very  severe  seasons.  I 
never  saw  one  alive ;  have,  of  course,  never  seen  its  nest, 
and  can  add  nothing  at  all  to  our  knowledge  of  its  habits. 
It  breeds  in  the  most  northern  regions ;  and,  according  to 
Dr.  Brewer,  "  nests  in  high  trees."  Its  eggs  I  have  never 
seen.  Audubon  gives  the  following  account  of  this  spe- 
cies :  — 

"The  comparatively  small  size  of  this  bird's  eyes  renders  it 
probable  that  it  hunts  by  day ;  and  the  remarkable  smallness  of  its 
feet  and  claws  induces  me  to  think  that  it  does  not  prey  on  large 
animals.  Dr.  Richardson  says,  that  •  it  is  by  no  means  a  rare  bird 
in  the  fur  countries ;  being  an  inhabitant  of  all  the  woody  districts 
lying  between  the  Lake  Superior  and  latitudes  67°  or  68°,  and 
between  Hudson's  Bay  and  the  Pacific.  It  is  common  on  the 
borders  of  Great  Bear  Lake ;  and  there,  and  in  the  higher  parallels 
of  latitude,  it  must  pursue  its  prey,  during  the  summer  months,  by 
daylight.  It  keeps,  however,  within  the  woods,  and  does  not  fre- 
quent the  barren  grounds,  like  the  Snowy  Owl;  nor  is  it  so  often  met 


-     * 


immmM^^mi 


if-: 


i 


swfc' ■•:■-- 


-tmm 


im 


-    ! 


! 

t      : 
i 


l«k 


^ 


W: 


Barred  Owl,  Syrnium  nebidosum.     Gray. 


I 


'4., 


;• 


i^ 


\ 


f' 


i'i' 


Y 


..artl  On« 


A, 


THE  BARBED   OWL. 


73 


with  in  broad  daylight  as  the  Hawk  Owl,  but  hunts  principally  when 
the  sun  is  low  :  indeed,  it  is  only  at  such  times,  when  the  recesses 
of  the  woods  are  deeply  shadowed,  that  the  American  Hare,  and  tho 
murine  animals  on  which  the  Cinereous  Owl  chiefly  preys,  como 
forth  to  feed.'" 

Audubon  speaks  of  a  gentleman  in  Salem,  Mass.,  who 
kept  one  of  these  birds  alive  for  several  months :  it  was  fed 
on  fish  and  small  birds,  of  which  it  was  very  fond.  It  uttered 
at  times  a  tremulous  cry,  not  unlike  that  of  the  little  Screech- 
owl  (^Scops  a»io),  and  showed  a  great  antipathy  to  cats  and 
dogs. 

STENIUM  NEBULOSUM.  — Craj. 
><  The  Barred  Owl.— 

Strix  nebulosa,  Forster.    Trans.  Philosoph.  Soc,  London,  LXII.  386,  424  (1772). 

Strix  nebulosa,  LinnDeus.  Wilson,  804.  Bonap.  Syn.,  38.  Nutt.,  I.  133.  Aud., 
I.  242. 

Descbiption. 

Head  large,  without  ear-tufts;  tail  rather  long;  upper  parts  light  ashy-brown, 
frequently  tinged  with  dull-yellow,  with  transverse  narrow  bands  of  white,  most 
numerous  on  the  head  and  neck  behind,  broader  on  the  back ;  breast  with  transverse 
bands  of  brown  and  white ;  abdomen  oshj'-white,  with  longitudinal  stripes  of  brown ; 
tarsi  and  toes  asiiy-white,  tinged  with  fulvous,  generally  without  spots,  but  frequently 
mottled  and  banded  with  dark-brown;  quills  brown,  with  six  or  seven  transverse 
bars,  nearly  pure-white  on  the  outer  weba,  and  ashy -fulvous  on  the  inner  webs ;  tail 
light-brown,  with  about  five  bauds  of  white,  generally  tinged  with  reddish-yellow; 
discal  feathers  tipped  with  .vhite;  face  ashy-white,  with  lines  of  brown,  and  a  spot 
of  black  in  front  of  the  eye;  throat  dark-brown;  claws  horn-color;  bill  pale-yellow ; 
irides  bluish-black.    Sexes  alike. 

Total  length,  about  twenty  inches;  wing,  thirteen  to  fourteen;  tail,  nine  inches. 
Sexes  nearly  of  the  same  size. 

This  Owl  is  rather  common  in  most  sections  of  New  Eng- 
land; is  more  often  seen  in  the  more  southern  localities, 
and  less  frequently  met  wijh  in  sections  where  the  Great 
Horned  Owl  is  most  abundant,  and  vice  versd.  Its  flight  is 
soft  and  rapid,  the  great  breadth  of  the  wings  and  compara- 
tive lightness  of  the  body  giving  it  remarkable  speed.  Its 
vision  is  almost  as  good  in  the  daylight  as  in  the  night,  and 
surpasses  that  of  most  of  our  other  owls.  A  specimen  that 
I  kept  alive  for  a  few  weeks,  often,  in  the  daytime,  flew  about 
the  room  in  which  his  cage  was  placed :  he  alighted  with 


74 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


ease  on  the  backs  of  chairs,  or  on  other  pieces  of  furniture ; 
seldom  miscalculating  the  distance  or  missing  a  footing,  as 
many  of  the  other  owls  would  in  the  same  circumstances. 
This  bird  soon  became  ti\me,  and  would  accept  food  at  almost 
any  time  in  the  day  or  night :  on  receiving  a  piece  of  meat, 
he  sometimes  attempted  to  clutch  it  with  his  foot,  and  my 
fingers  often  had  narrow  escapes  from  his  sharp,  crooked 
talons.  Usually,  he  would  seize  it  with  his  mouth,  and,  if 
not  too  large,  swallow  it  without  tearing :  if  the  piece  was 
more  bulky  than  he  could  manage,  he  stood  on  it,  and  tore 
it  with  his  beak.  Fish  he  invariably  rejected,  but  greedily 
ate  mice  and  small  birds :  a  dead  pigeon,  that  I  put  in  his 
cage,  was  untouched  for  several  days.  He  died  in  conse- 
quence of  a  hurt  he  received  in  flying  against  a  window. 

The  Barred  Owl  subsists  principally  upon  small  birds, 
field-mice,  and  reptiles.  He  is  frequently  seen,  in  early 
twilight,  flying  over  the  low  meadow-lands,  searching  for  the 
mice  that  dwell  there :  he  usually  takes  a  direct  course,  and 
sometimes  flies  so  low  that  the  tips  of  his  wings  seem  to 
touch  the  grass.  When  he  discovers  his  prey,  he  drops  on 
it  instantly,  folding  his  wings  and  protruding  his  feet,  in 
which  his  quarry  is  always  secured :  he  often  captures  frogs 
that  are  sitting  on  the  shores  of  ponds  and  rivers ;  but  1  am 
inclined  to  think  that  the  statement,  quoted  by  Audubon, 
that  he  often  catches  fish,  is  incorrect.  The  Barred  Owl 
usually  nests  in  high  trees,  placing  the  structure  of  sticks 
and  leaves  in  a  crotch  near  the  trunk.  The  eggs  are  usually 
three  in  number.  I  have  one  only  in  my  collection :  this  is 
pure-white,  almost  globular,  and,  except  in  shape,  hardly 
distinguishable  from  the  egg  of  the  domestic  hen.  It  is 
2  iaches  in  length  by  1.68  in  breadth. 


NYCTALE,  Brehm. 

Nyctale,  Brehm,  Isis  (1828),  1271. 

Size  small;  head  with  very  small  ear-tufts,  only  observable  when  erected;  eyes 
email;  bill  moderate,  or  not  very  strong;  facial  disc  nearly  perfect;  wings  rather 
long;  tail  short;  legs  and  toes  densely  feathered. 


,--    I 


f 


THE  SAW-WHET   OWL. 


76 


*  Contains  five  specios  of  small  and  quite  peculiar  owls,  four  of  which  are  Ameri- 
can, and  one  European. 

HYCTALE  EICHAEDSONII.  — 5on(jr»or<«. 
The  Sparrow    Owl. 

Nyctale  Richardionii,  Bonaparte.    Comp.  List,  7  (1S38). 

"  Strix  Tengmalmi,  Gm."    Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  IV.  569.  and  other  American  authors. 

,  Description. 

The  largest  of  this  genus;  wings  long;  upper  parts  pale  reddish-brown,  tinged 
„;th  olive,  and  with  partially  concealed  spots  of  white,  most  numerous  on  the  head 
and  neck  behind,  scapulars,  and  rump;  head  in  front  with  numerous  spots  of  white; 
&ce  white,  with  a  spot  of  black  in  front  of  the  eye;  throat  with  brown  stripes; 
under  parts  ashy-white,  With  longitudinal  stripes  of  pale  reddish-brown;  legs  and 
toes  pale-yellmvish,  nearly  white,  sometimes  barred  and  spotted  with  brown;  quills 
brown,  with  small  spoU  of  white  on  their  outer  edges,  and  large  spots  of  the  same 
on  their  inner  webs,  tail  brown,  every  feather  with  about  ten  pairs  of  white  spots; 
bill  light-yellowish  horn-color;  irides  j'cUow. 

Total  length,  about  ten  and  a  half  inches;  wing,  seven  and  a  half  inches;  tall, 
four  and  a  half  inches. 

This  species  is  an  exceedingly  rare  winter  visitor  in  New 
England.  I  have  never  met  with  it  alive,  and  can  give 
from  my  own  observation  no  account  of  its  habits.  Dr. 
Richardson,  in  the  "  Fauna  Boreali-Americaua,"  says :  — 

"  Whfc  it  accidentally  wanders,  abroad  in  the  day,  it  is  so  much 
dazzled  by  the  light  of  the  sun  as  to  become  stupid ;  and  it  may 
then  be  easily  caught  by  the  hand.  Its  cry  in  the  night  is  a 
single  melancholy  note,  repeated  at  intervals  of  a  minute  or  two. 
Mr.  Hutchins  says  that  it  builds  a  nest  of  grass  half-way  up  a 
pine-tree,  and  lays  two  white  eggs  in  the  month  of  May." 

BTCTALE  ACABICA.  — £on(9ia>t«. 
The  Saw-Whet  Owl;  Acadiotui  Owl. 

Strix  AcatSea,  Gm.  Syst.  Nat.,  I.  296  (1788).  Bonap.  Syr..,  88.  Nuttall  and 
other  authors. 

"  Strix patserina,  Linnseus."    Wilson,  Am.  Om.,  IV.  66. 

Description. 

Small;  wings  long;  tail  short;  upper  parts  reddish-brown,  tinged  with  olive; 

head  in  front  with  fine  lines  of  white,  and  on  the  neck  behind,  rump,  and  scapulars, 

with  large,  partially  concealed  spots  of  white;  face  ashy-white;  throat  white;  under 

parts  ashy-white,  with  longitudinal  stripes  of  pale  reddish-brown;  under  coverts 


76 


OBNlTHOLOOy  AND  OOLOGY. 


of  wingB  and  Uil  white;  quills  brown,  with  small  spots  of  white  on  their  outer 
edges,  and  large  spots  of  the  same  on  their  inner  webs;  tail  brown,  every  feather 
with  about  three  pairs  of  spots  of  white;  bill  and  claws  dark;  irides  yellow. 

Total  length,  about  seven  and  a  half  to  eight  inches;  wing,  Ave  and  a  half 
inches;  tail,  two  and  three  quarters  to  three  inches.  Sexes  nearly  the  same  size, 
and  alike  in  colors. 

This  species  is  also  quite  rare  in  New  England ;  but,  as 
it  is  occasionally  found  in  the  summer  months,  is  probably 
a  resident  here  through  the  year.  'Says  Audubon,  in  his 
description  of  this  bird,  which  is  very  full  and  perfect :  — 

"  The  Little  Owl  is  known  in  Massachusetts  by  the  name  of  the 
'  Saw-whet,'  the  sound  of  its  love-notes  bearing  a  great  resemblance 
to  the  noise  produced  by  filing  the  teeth  of  a  large  saw.  These 
notes,  when  coming,  as  they  frequently  do,  from  the  interior  of  a 
deep  forest,  produce  a  very  peculiar  effect  on  the  traveller,  who, 
not  being  aware  of  their  real  nature,  expects,  as  he  advances  on  his 
route,  to  meet  with  shelter  under  a  saw-mill  at  no  great  distance. 
Until  I  shot  the  bird  in  the  act,  I  had  myself  been  more  than  once 
deceived  in  this  manner. 

"  A  nest  of  our  Little  Owl,  which  I  found  near  tlie  city  of  Natchez, 
was  placed  in  the  broken  stump  of  a  small  decayed  tree,  not  more 
than  four  feet  from  the  ground.  I  was  attracted  to  it  by  the  snor- 
ing notes  of  the  young,  which  sounded  as  if  at  a  considerable 
elevation;  and  I  was  so  misled  by  them,  that,  had  not  my  dog 
raised  himself  to  smell  at  the  hole  where  the  brood  lay  concealed, 
I  might  not  have  discovered  them.  In  this  instance,  the  number 
was  five.  It  was  in  the  beginning  of  June ;  and  the  little  things, 
which  were  almost  ready  to  fly,  looked  exceedingly  neat  and  beauti- 
ful. Their  parents  I  never  saw,  although  I  frequently  visited  the 
nest  before  they  left  it.  The  Little  Owl  breeds  more  abundantly 
near  the  shores  of  the  Atlantic  than  m  the  mterior  of  the  country, 
and  is  frequent  m  the  swamps  of  the  States  of  Maryland  and  New 
Jersey  during  the  whole  year.  Wherever  I  have  found  the  young 
or  the  eggs  placed  in  a  hollow  tree,  they  were  merely  deposited  on 
the  rotten  particles  of  wood ;  and,  when  in  an  old  crow's  nest,  the 
latter  did  not  appear  to  have  undergone  any  repair.  Being  quite 
nocturnal,  it  shows  great  uneasmess  when  disturbed  by  day,  and 
flies  off  in  a  hurried,  uncertain  manner,  throwing  itself  mto  the 


THE   SNOWY   OWL. 


77 


first  covert  that  it  meets  with,  where  it  is  not  diflRcult  to  catch  it, 
provided  the  necessary  caution  and  silence  be  used.  Towards 
dusk,  it  becomes  full  of  animation,  flies  swiftly  —  gliding,  as  it 
were  —  over  the  low  grounds  like  a  little  spectre,  and  pounces  on 
small  quadrupeds  and  birds  with  the  quickness  of  thought." 

The  Saw-whet  Owl'  nests  in  hollow  trees,  in  cavities  of 
rocks,  and  in  deserted  prows'  and  woodpeckers'  nests.  The 
eggs  are  from  three  to  five  or  six  in  number  ;  and,  according 
to  Dr.  Brewer,  are  of  a  bright,  clear  white,  and  more  like  a 
woodpecker's  than  an  owl's  in  their  crystalline  clearness. 
Dimensions,  1-^  by  ^  inch. 


Sub-Family  Ntcteinin^.  —  Tlie  Day  Owls. 

General  form  compact  and  robust;  head  moderate,  without  ear-tufts i  wings  and 
tail  rather  long;  tarsi  strong,  which,  with  the  toes,  are  more  densely  covered  than 
in  any  other  division  of  this  family. 

This  division  embraces  two  species  only,  which  inhabit  the  arctic  regions  of  both 
continents ;  migrating  southward  in  the  winter. 


and 


t 
1. 


KYCTEA,  Stephens. 

NycUa,  Stephenb,  Cont  of  Shaw's  Zool.,  Xni.  62  (1826). 

Large;  head  rather  large,  without  ear-tufts;  no  facial  disc;  legs  rather  short,  and 
with  the  toes  covered  densely  with  long  hair-like  feathers,  nearly  concealing  the 
claws;  bill  short,  nearly  concealed  by  projecting  feathers,  very  strong;  wings  long; 
tail  moderate,  or  rather  long,  wide;  claws  strong,  ftilly  curved.  Contains  one  spe- 
cies only. 

HTCTEA  NIVEA.  —  Gray. 
The  Snowy  OvL 

Stria!  nivta,  Daudin.    Traite  d'Om.,  190  (1800). 

Strix  nyctea,  Linnaeus.    Syst.  Nat  L  182  (1766). 

"  .S«rta!  nj^cteo,  LinniBUs."  Bonap.  Syn.,  86.  Nutt  L  116.  Aud.  IL  185.  Wil- 
son ard  others. 

Description. 

Bill  nearly  concealed  by  projecting  plumes;  eyes  large;  entire  plumage  white,  fre- 
quently with  a  few  spots  or  imperfect  bands,  only  on  the  upper  parts  dark-bro^vn,  and 
on  the  under  parts  with  a  few  irregular  and  imperfect  bars  of  the  same;  quills  and 
tail  with  a  few  spots  or  traces  of  bands  of  the  same  dark-brown;  the  prevalence  of 

1  See  Appendix. 


78 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


the  dark -brown  color  varies  much  in  different  specimens;  frequently  both  upper  and 
under  parts  are  very  distinctly  banded  transversely,  and  sometimes  this  color  pre- 
dominates on  the  back ;  plumage  of  the  legs  and  toes  pure  snowy-white ;  bill  and 
claws  horn-color  J  iridcs  yellow. 

Total  length,  female,  about  twenty-six  inches;  wing,  seventeen  to  nineteen; 
tail,  ten  inches.    Male,  about  twenty-two  inches;  wing,  seventeen;  tail,  nine  inches. 

As  a  winter  visitor,  throughout  all  New  England,  this  bird 
is  a  rather  common  species.  It  is  often  taken  on  the  islands 
in  Massachusetts  Bay,  where  it  feeds  on  fish  that  have  been 
thrown  up  on  the  shore  by  the  tide,  birds,  wounded  sea- 
fowl,  and  even  dead  aninals,  as  I  am  informed  by  a  reliable 
person  who  once  shot  one  while  perched  on  and  eating 
a  dead  horse  on  the  beach.  The  flight  of  this  Owl  is  rapid 
and  protracted.  I  have  seen  an  individual  chase  and  cap- 
ture a  Snow  Bunting  (P.  nivalis')  from  a  flock ;  and  once 
saw  one  make  a  swoop  at  a  flock  of  poultry  which  had  come 
out  from  their  house  on  a  fine  day,  but  which  immediately 
retreated  on  the  appearance  of  their  enemy.  The  Snowy 
Owl  hunts  both  in  the  daylight  and  twilight :  he  seems  to 
prefer  cloudy,  gloomy  days  to  bright  ones,  and  is  most 
active  just  before  a  storm.  Audubon  says  that  this  Owl 
captures  living  fish  in  the  water  by  standing  quietly  by  the 
margin,  and  seizing  its  prey  with  its  claws,  as  it  appears 
near  the  surface :  whether  this  is  a  regular  habit  or  not,  I 
cannot  say.  I  never  saw  one  do  so ;  and  I  have  conversed 
with  several  hunters  who  have  shot  numbers  of  specimens, 
and  they  all  were  ignorant  of  such  a  fact. 

Of  the  breeding  habits  of  this  Owl,  we  are  ignorant. 
The  Hudson's  Bay,  and  other  northern  countries,  are  its 
summer  homes.  Wheelwright,  in  his  "  Spring  and  Sum- 
mer in  Lapland,"  gives  the  only  description  of  its  nest  and 
eggs  accessible  to  me  at  present.    He  says :  — 

"  The  egg  of  the  Snowy  Owl  measures  2|  inches  in  length,  and 
If  inches  in  breadth :  its  color  is  pure-white.  The  nest  is  nothing 
more  than  a  large  boll  of  reindeei;  moss,  placed  on  the  ledge  of  a 
bare  fell.  The  old  birds  guard  it  most  jealously  ;  in  fact,  the  Lap- 
landers often  kill  them  with  a  stick  when  they  are  robbing  the 


-  ■  ■III! twit 

r 


lly  both  upper  and 
lies  this  color  pre- 
ijy-whitc;  bill  and 

teen  to  nineteen; 
;  tail,  nine  inches. 

md,  this  bird 
11  the  islands 
lat  have  been 
rounded  sea- 
by  a  reliable 
I  and  eating 
Owl  is  rapid 
ase  and  cap- 
k;  and  once 
ich  had  come 
immediately 
The  Snowy 
he  seems  to 
and  is  most 
lat  this  Owl 
uietly  by  the 
18  it  appears 
bit  or  not,  I 
ve  conversed 
f  specimens, 

re  ignorant, 
tries,  are  its 
g  and  Siim- 
its  nest  and 


in  length,  and 
lest  is  nothing 
ho  ledge  of  a 
fact,  the  Lap- 
)  robbing  the 


J 


I 


i^mmftmaH^m^mm 


Snowy  Owl,  Nycieanivea,     Gray. 


-At-Mmmm^ 


^ 


III    I  ■—  r.-»"" ""IW 


mm 


y^ 


THE  HAWK   OWL. 


79 


nest,  which  thoy  do  upon  every  occasion  that  present*  itself.  Th« 
Siio'vy  Owl  will  occiwionftlly  make  its  nest  on  the  lurgo  turf-hilloclu 
in  some  of  the  mossea. 

SUBNIA,  DuMRRti. 

iSurnirt,  DuMEKll.,  7.oo\og\o  Analytiqiie,  34  (1806), 

Uciiural  Ibrm  rather  loii({,  hut  rohiiHt;  aizo  iimlium;  head  moderate,  without  e«r- 
tuftnj  fiii'iol  dl«c  obsolete ;  bill  moderate,  curved  tViim  the  baitt',  covered  with  pro- 
Jcctin«  plumes;  win^a  long;  tail  long,  wide,  graduated;  legs  rathcmhort,  and  with 
the  toes  deuacly  feathered;  conlaini  one  (pncies  only,  which  inhabita  the  arctic 
regions  of  both  contiuenta. 


SURNIA   VLVhA.  —  Bmnpnrte. 

The  Hawk  Owl;  Day  Owl. 

Strix  uluUi,  Linnaus.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  183  (1766). 

"  Sirix  funerea,"  Gm.  Bonap.  Syn.  86.  Nutt.,  I.  116.  Aud.  Om.  Biog., 
IV.  650. 

"  Sti-ix  lludtoHica."    Wilson,  VI.  64. 

Heschiption. 

Wings  rather  long;  first  three  quills  incised  on  their  inner  webs;  tail  long,  with 
its  central  feathers  about  two  inches  longer  than  the  outer;  tarsi  and  toes  densely 
feathered;  upper  parts  fuliginous-brown,  with  numerous  partially  concealed  circular 
spots  of  white  on  the  neck  behind,  scapulars  and  wing  coverts;  face  grayish-white; 
throat  white,  with  longitudinal  stripes  of  dark-brown;  a  large  brown  spot  on  each 
side  of  the  breast;  other  under  parts  with  transverse  lines  or  stripes  of  pale  ashy- 
brown;  quills  and  tail  brown,  with  transverse  bands  of  white;  bill  pale -yellowish; 
irides  yellow;  color  of  upper  parts  darker  on  the  head,  and  the  white  markings 
more  or  less  numerous  in  different  specimens. 

Total  length,  female,  sixteen  to  seventeen  inches;  wing,  nine;  tail,  seven  inchei. 
Male  rather  smaller. 

This  bird  is  occasionally  met  with  in  difiFerent  localities  in 
New  England ;  rarely  in  the  summer,  most  often  in  the 
winter.  As  its  name  implies,  it  is  diurnal  in  its  habils, 
and  hunts  its  prey  in  the  hours  when  most  of  the  other 
owls  are  hidden  in  their  retreats.  Its  food  consists  of  small 
birds  and  mice,  which  it  seizes  in  the  manner  of  the  hawks. 
A  specimen  was  obtained  in  Vermont  on  a  wood-pile  in  a 
door-yard,  where  it  was  eating  a  woodpecker  that  it  had 
just  captured.  Dr.  Richardson,  in  his  "Fauna  Boreali- 
Americana,"  says  that,  "  when  the  hunters  are  shooting 
grouse,  this  bird  is  occasionally  attracted  by  the  report  of 


so 


ORNITHOLOOY   AND   OOMKJV. 


Iho  g»m,  and  is  ofton  bold  enough,  on  a  bird  being  killed, 
to  ponnco  down  upon  it,  tliough  unable,  from  its  size,  to 
carry  it  off. 

xiio  Hawk  Owl   occasionally  broods   in   New  England. 

My  IViend,  Ooorgo  A.  Boardman 
of  Milltown,  Mo.,  has  been  ho  for- 
tunate as  to  find  its  nest,  witli 
eggs,  in  that  neighborhood.  It 
usually  builds  in  a  hollow  troo, 
l)ut  soniotiines  constructs  a  habi- 
tation in  the  crotcli  of  a  tall  troo, 
of  slii's,  ^Tass,  and  feathers. 
Accoiuinc  (•)  Richardson,  it  lays 
two  white  globular  eggs. 

Two  beautiful  spcciinens  in  my 
collection,  from  William  Couper, 
Esq.,  Quebec,  collected  at  North- 
ern Labrador  by  the  Montanaz 
Indians,  arc  a  trifle  more  elongated  and  pointed  than  tho 
eggs  of  the  Red  Owl  {Scopa  a%io^.  They  are  of  a  pure- 
white  color,  and  measure  1.50  by  1.25  inch  and  1.47  by 
1.22  inch. 


NOTES. 

I  append  tho  following  notes,  that  have  been  kindly  fur- 
nished me  by  William  Couper,  of  Quebec,  Lower  Canada, 
for  the  purpose  of  showing  the  northern  distribution  of  tho 
birds  of  prey  described  in  the  preceding  pages :  — 

HTPOTEIOECHIS  COtUMBABniS.  ~  Only  young  specimens  occur,  and 
tliose  rarely,  in  the  latitude  of  Quebec :  they  are  more  common  toward  the 
western  portions  of  Lower  and  Upper  Canada.  It  has  not,  to  my  knowledge, 
been  found  breeding  in  Canada. 

TT'J'^USPULDS  8PABVEEIUS.  —  This  species  is  more  abundant  than  the 
pre  r    k'iJt  t'  e  majority  of  the  specimens  shot  in  the  neighborhood  of 

Que'.-o  irn  »<">'  IT.  I  «ni  infr  rnecl  that  it  bleeds  in  the  vicinity  of  tiie  river 
5*    \       •   /v.      h  fells  into  ..ic  iiver  St.  Lawrence,  west  of  Quebec. 


NOTES. 


81 


ASTUR  ATBIOAPILLDS,  —  The  ndnlt  of  thli  ipocioi  ia  v«>ry  rare  In  thij 
Intitudo,  and  it  ocours  in  this  pluinii|{0  about  inldwinl«>r.  Tlie  young,  how- 
ever, ar«  loniotinioa  common  during  the  autumn. 

ACOIPITDB  FtlSCUS.  —  TIiIh  is  one  of  the  moat  common  of  our  ITnwki. 
It  occur*  in  young  phimngo  in  tlie  fall  alao.  I  nm  told  that  it  broedi  in 
Canada;  but  I  have  not  had  the  good  fortune  to  And  itd  nuat  Hportamon 
have  told  me  incidonta  of  the  audacity  of  thia  little  apccioa.  Thoy  aay  it  ia 
alwaya  on  the  alert  for  wo(xlcock  and  snlpo,  and  knowa  the  moment  that  one 
of  (hoae  birds  la  w- anded.  It  ia  aomethnos  so  bold,  that,  aa  soon  aa  the  shot 
strikes  the  intended  game,  the  Ilawk  pounces  upon  it  to  carry  it  away. 

BUTEO  FENNSTIiVAHIOUS.  —  Thia  species  ia  very  common  here  during 
the  months  of  Soptombor  and  October.  It  ia  generally  found  preying  upon 
fl-ogs  and  a  species  of  common  field  locust.  I  have  uut  leoruod  that  it  breiids 
in  Upper  or  Lower  Canada. 

ARCHIBUTGO  LAOOPUS.  —  Somotimi'S  thia  species  is  vor\  abundant  in 
the  northern  mountains,  especially  where  there  is  •  plenty  of  hares  and 
grouse.    It  breeds  in  Labrador. 

CIBCTT3  HTIDSORIITS.  —  Occurs  only  in  the  fall,  and  then  in  young  plum- 
age. Breeds  in  Western  Canada.  It  has  not  been  ili-tci  ted  breeding  in  tlie 
northern  swamps  of  Lower  Canada. 

AQUILA  CABADENSIS.  —  The  adult  and  young  i»^  this  species  are  occa^ 
sionally  shot  here  during  autumn  and  winter.  I  thiuk  it  breeds  on  some  of 
our  high  northern  mountains.  The  specimens  that  I  have  examined  had 
their  bodies  and  legs  stuck  full  of  porcupine  quills. 

PANDIOH  CABOLINENSIS.  —  This  is  a  very  rare  visitor  in  the  northern 
regions.  I  understand  that  a  pair  arrive  annually,  and  breed  at  Lake  St. 
Joseph,  north  of  this  city.    I  never  saw  an  adult  specimen  in  Quebec. 

BUBO  TIBQINIABUS.  —  Thia  Owl  occurs  here  during  summer  and  win- 
ter. I  am  almost  certain  it  breeds  in  the  mountains  behind  the  city.  I  have 
had  the  young  in  the  down  fi-om  Bay  St.  Paul,  on  the  north  side  of  the 
river  St.  Lawrence,  below  Quebec. 

OTUS  WILSONIANUS  and  BBAOHTOTUS  CASSINII  are  extremely  rare 
here,  and  I  cannot  give  any  ikcts  in  relation  to  them. 

STBNITTM  KEBTTLOSHH.  —  Thia  is  the  common  Owl  of  our  forests. 

STBKIUM  CINEBEUH.  —  Is  an  accidental  winter  visitor. 

SUBBIA  UIiUIiA.  —  This  bird  is  also  very  common  during  some  winters. 
It  breeds  in  the  northern  portions  of  Hudson's  Bay  and  Labrador. 

NfCTEA  HIVEA.  —  This  Owl  is  more  abundant  this  winter  (1867)  than  it 
has  been  for  years. 

NTCTALE  BIGHABDSONII  and  N.  ACADICA  also  occur  here.  The  former 
Is  occasional;  but  the  latter,  extremely  rare. 

6 


1 

-  i 


82 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


ORDER  II.  —  SCANSORES.    CLraBERS. 

The  characteristics  of  this  order  are  given  on  page  4  of  this 
volume.  It  is  represented  in  the  New-England  States  by  two 
families,  — the  Cucvlidce  or  Cuckoos,  and  the  Picida  or  Wood- 
peckers. 

These  families  have  the  arrangement  of  two  pairs  of  toes 
opposed  to  each  other  in  common ;  otherwise,  they  are  much  dif- 
ferent in  their  characteristics. 

The  Ouculidce  have  "bill  thin,  usually  slender,  and  rather  long, 
the  tip  more  or  less  decurved,  the  base  usually  without  rictal 
bristles ;  tarsi  usually  lather  long,  clothed  with  broad  plates  ante- 
riorly ;  the  tail  feathers  usually  ten,  sometimes  eight  or  twelve, 

all  long." 

The  Picidce  have  "  bill  straight,  rigid,  and  chisel-shaped  at  the 
tip,  the  base  without  rictal  bristles  ;  the  feet  are  stout,  and  clothed 
anteriorly  with  broad  plates;  tail  feathers  twelve,  the  exterior  very 
small  and  concealed." ' 

i  See  Introduction. 


^i 


THE  YELLOW-BILLED   CUCKOO. 


88 


Family  CUCULIDiE.    The  Cuckoos. 


4  of  this 
3  by  two 
or  Wood- 
's of  toes 

much  dif- 

ither  long, 
lOut  rictal 
lates  ante- 
or  twelve, 

ped  at  the 
ad  clothed 
terior  very 


COCCYGUS,  ViEiLLOT. 

Cocajzui,  Vieillot.    Analyse  (1818). 

Erythrophnjs,  Swoinson.    Class.  Birds,  II.  (1887),  822. 

Head  without  crest ;  feathers  about  base  of  bill  soft ;  bill  nearly  as  long  as  the 
head,  decurved,  slender,  and  attenuated  towards  the  end;  nostrils  linear;  winjis 
lengthened,  reaching  the  middle  of  the  tail;  tlie  tertials  short;  tail  of  ten  graduated 
feathers;  feet  weak;  tarsi  shorter  than  the  middle  toe. 

The  species  of  Coccygus  are  readily  distinguished  from  those  of  Geococcyx  by 
their  arborial  habits,  confining  themselves  mainly  to  trees,  instead  of  living  habitu- 
ally on  the  ground.    The  plumage  is  soft,  fine,  and  compact. 

The  American  cuckoos  differ  from  the  European  cuckoos  ( Cuculus)  by  having 
lengthened  naked  tarsi,  instead  of  very  short  feathered  ones;  the  nostrils  are 
elongated,  too,  instead  of  rounded. 

COCCYGUS  AMEBICAHUS.  —  Bonaparte. 
X  The  Yellow-billed  Cuckoo.  — 


Cuctdut  Americanw,  Linnojus.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1766). 
Coccyms  Americanus,  Audubon.     Cm.  Biog.,  I.  (1832). 
Cuculut  Carolinentis.    Wilson,  267. 

Description. 


Bonap.  Syn.,  42. 


Upper  mandible,  and  tip  of  lower  black ;  rest  of  lower  mandible,  and  cutting 
edges  of  the  upper  yellow ;  upper  parts  of  a  metallic  greenish-olive,  slightly  tinged 
with  ash  towards  the  bill;  beneatli  white;  tail  feathers  (except  the  median,  which 
are  like  the  back)  black,  tipped  with  white  for  about  an  inch  on  the  outer  feathers, 
the  external  one  with  the  outer  edge  almost  entirely  white ;  quills  orange-cinnamon ; 
the  terminal  portion  and  a  gloss  on  the  outer  webs  olive ;  iris  brown. 

Length,  twelve  inches;  wing,  five  and  ninety-five  one-hundredths;  tail,  six  and 
thirty-five  one-hundredths. 


THIS  bird  is  very  irregularly  distributed  through  New 
England  as  a  summer  visitor.  A.  E.  Verrill,  in  his 
catalogue  of  birds  found  at  Norway,  Me.,  says  that  "it 
is  not  common  as  a  summer  visitor."  George  A.  Board - 
man  writes  me,  that,  near  Calais,  Me.,  it  is  "  extremely 
rare."  J.  A.  Allen,  in  his  paper  on  Springfield  birds 
(before  referred  to),  calls  it  "  extremely  rare."  Dr.  Wood 
says  it  is  *'  very  rare  "  at  East-Windsor  Hill,  Conn.,  whore 


84 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND   OOLOOT. 


he  has  found  it  brooding.  While  I  have  noticod,  that, 
though  in  former  years  it  was  equally  abundant  with  the 
Black-billed  Cuckoo,  this  bird  is  now  growhig  scarce  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Boston. 

This  species  arrives  from  the  South  from  about  the  25th 
of  A.pril  to  the  1st  of  May.     We  are  first  notified  of  his 
arrival  by  hearing  his  harsh  notes  in  the  opening  foliage  ; 
and  presently  we  see  him  moving  about  the" twigs,  busily 
picking  off  and  swallowing  the  caterpillars  and  other  larvae 
which  are  so  destructive  to  our  fruit  and  shade  trees.    Soon 
"he  passes  to   another  t-ee,  still   pursuing  his  profitable 
search;    and,  when  he  has  gleaned  to  his  heart's  —  or 
rather  stomach's  —  content,  he  launches  himself  into  the 
air,  and  takes  flight  for  another  grove  or  orchard,  perhaps 
a  half-mile  off,  or  even  farther.     His  flight  is  rapid,  con- 
sisting of  repeated  strokes  of  his  wings,  but  it  is  not 
always  direct;  for  he  frequently  turns  from  a  straight  course 
and  hies  off  at  an  angle,  then  back  again  in  a  wavering 
manner.     Occasionally,  he  pauses  in  his  flight,  and  sud- 
denly descends  and  alights  on  a  shrub  or  low  bush,  as  if  he 
perceived  an  enemy  in  the  air  or  a  friend  in  the  bush. 
After  repeating  his  song,— '-Krow-krow-krotv-krow-krow;  km- 
kra,  krvrkra,  kru-kru," —  he  is  off  again,  and  is  soon  out 

of  sight. 

The  male  arrives  about  ten  days  before  the  female.  As 
soon  as  the  latter  makes  her  appearance,  the  male  com- 
mences his  courtship.  He  is  very  attentive  to  her,  watch- 
ing her  every  movement,  and  following  her  every  flight. 
Although  usually  very  cowardly,  he  is  at  this  period  toler- 
ably brave,  and  will  even  attempt  to  molest  any  other  bird 
that  happens  to  be  near,  but  usually  with  poor  success ;  for, 
as  his  cowardice  is  traditional  among  the  birds,  they  will 
turn  upon  him,  and  drive  him  off  discomfited.  Wlien  the 
couple  have  mated,  they  soon  commence  building.  The 
nest  is  placed  in  a  low  bough  of  a  tree,  or  in  a  shrub  or 
barberry  bush.    Tt  is  a  loose,  straggling  affair,  composed  of 


THE   BLACK-BILLED   CUCKOO. 


86 


sticks  and  twigs,  and  sometimes  a  few  pieces  of  moss.  The 
eggs  are  usually  four  in  number;  they  are  of  a  light 
greenish-blue  color,  and  almost  invariably  larger  than  those 
of  the  Black-billed  Cuckoo.  A  number  of  specimens  before 
me  vary  from  1.07  to  1.25  of  an  inch  in  length,  by  from  .84 
to  .96  inch  in  breadth.  But  one  brood  is  reared  in  the 
season. 

COCCrOUS  EBTTHBOPHTHALMUS.  — J5oflrtpar<«. 
X  The  Blaok-billed  Cuckoo.— 

Cuculus  erythrophthalmu*,  Wilson.    Am.  Orn.,  IV.  (1811),  16. 
Coccyztu  erythrcphthalmiu,  Audubon.     Orn.    Biog.,  I.  (1832),    170.     Bonap. 
Syn.,  42. 

DUBCRIPTION. 

Bill  entirely  black;  upper  parts  generally  of  a  metallic  greenish-olive,  ashy  to- 
wards the  base  of  the  bill;  beneath  pure-white,  with  a  brownish-yellow  tinge  on  the 
throat;  inner  webs  of  the  quills  tinged  with  cinnamon;  under  surface  of  all  the  tail 
feathers  hoary  ash-gray ;  all  beneath  the  central,  on  either  side,  suffused  with  darker 
to  the  short,  bluish-white,  and  not  well-defined  tip;  a  naked  red  skin  round  tho  eye; 
iris,  hazel.i 

Length  about  twelve  inches;  wing,  five ;  tail,  six  and  a  half. 

This  species  is  quite  abundantly  distributed  throughout 
New  England  as  a  summer  visitor,  reafhing  to  more  north- 
ern latitudes  than  the  other.  It  arrives  from  the  South 
.  about  the  first  week  in  May ; 
and,  like  the  Yellow-billed 
Cuckoo,  the  males  precede 
the  females.  I  have  exan^ 
ined  numbers  of  the  first 
birds  that  arrived  in  differ- 
ent seasons,  and  they  were 
invariably  males ;  the  females 
making  their  appearance 
about  ten  days  or  a  fortnight 
later.  The  habits  of  the  two 
species  are  very  similar,  although  the  present  bird  prefers 
the  more  cultivated  and  open  districts,  while  the  other 

1  In  succeeding  species,  when  the  color  of  the  iris  is  not  given,  it  is  understood  to 
be  dark-hazel  or  black. 


86 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


i-i! 


1^1 


seems  to  delight  in  the  more  retired  and  wooded  locali- 
ties. 

In  flight,  the  Black-billed  Cuckoo  is  more  swift  than  the 
Other  ;  in  breeding  habits,  the  same  ;  and  its  food  is  similar, 
consisting  principally  of  insects  and  their  larvae,  small  fruits, 
and  the  eggs  and  young  of  small  birds.  Like  the  other,  the 
Black-billed  Cuckoo  is  very  cowardly,  and  is  quickly  driven 
from  the  neighborhood  of  the  nest  of  almost  any  of  the 
other  birds.  If  a  robin,  or  other  bird  of  equal  size,  discover 
one  of  these,  to  him  pirates,  in  the  vicinity  of  his  nest,  he 
immediately  assaults  the  intruder,  with  loud  outcries,  poun- 
cing upon  him,  and  pecking  with  great  ferocity.  Others  of 
his  neighbors,  who  are  near,  join  in  the  attack :  the  Cuckoo, 
in  retreating,  dives  into  the  recesses  of  a  stofie  wall,  or  the 
first  secure  retreat  available;  very  seldom  taking  to  his 
wings,  as  another  bird  would  do.  I  have  known  of  a  cuckoo 
being  driven  into  a  barn  by  a  Blue-bird  {S.  sialis'),  who  sat 
perching  on  a  fence  outside  for  several  minutes,  keeping  his 
enemy  prisoner ;  and  the  latter,  when  pursued  and  captured 
by  myself,  preferred  being  my  prisoner  to  facing  his  enemy 

outside. 

The  nest  of  the  Black-billed  Cuckoo  is  usually  placed  in  , 
a  low  tree  or  barberry-bush.  It  is  constructed  of  twigs, 
roots,  and  sometimes  a  few  leaves  and  moss.  I  have  exam- 
ined a  great  number  of  these,  from  different  sections ;  and  I 
have  noticed  that  those  from  northern  localities  were  inva- 
riably lined  with  gray  moss,  called  Spanish  moss,  and  leaves, 
while  others,  from  more  southern  districts,  were  without 
such  linings. 

The  eggs  are  usually  four  in  number :  they  are  of  a  darker 
greenish-blue  than  those  of  the  other  bird,  and  average  a 
little  smaller ;  their  length  varying  from  1  to  1.12  inch,  by 
from  .84  to  .92  inch  in  breadth. 


THE   HAIBY   WOODPECKEB.  87 


•  Family  PICID^.    The  'Woodpeckers. 

Sub-Family  Picina;. 

Althoush  all  the  woodpeckers  have  a  certain  resemblance  to  each  other,  and 
acree  more  or  less  in  habits,  there  are  distinctions  among  them  which  serve  readdy 
^division  into  sub-genera,  genera,  or  even  higher  groups.  Thus  the  difference 
between  the  Ivory-billed  Woodpecker  and  the  common  Flicker,  which  may  be  taken 
as  representing  the  extremes  of  the  scale  in  North-American  species,  will  be  palpable 

'°  "iTthe  woodpeckers  inhabiting  the  United  States,  there  are  three  distinct  groups, 
which  may  be  taken,  with  some  authors,  as  so  many  sub-families;  or  if,  with  Bona- 
narte  we  unite  all  the  Picid^  with  stiffened,  acuminate,  and  pointed  tails  mto  a  sub- 
Lily  Picina>,  they  will  constitute  so  many  separate  sections.  They  may  bo  severally 
characterized  as  follows:  — 

PiciN^  or  Pic«e.  -Bill  mor«  or  less  long;  the  outlines  above  and  below  nearly 
straight;  the  ends  truncated;  a  prominent  ridge  on  the  side  of  the  mandible,  spring- 
ing from  the  middle  of  the  base  or  a  little  below,  and  running  out  cither  on  the 
commissure,  or  extending  parallel  to  and  a  little  above  it,  to  the  end;  sometimes 
obliterated  ^r  confluent  with  the  lateral  bevel  of  the  bill ;  nostrils  considerably  over- 
Lg  by  the  lateral  ridge,  more  or  less  linear,  and  concea  ed  by  thick  b"J'y  tufts  o^ 

feathers  at  the  base  of  the  bill;  outer  posterior  toe  generally  longer  than  the  anterior. 
MrJNE.«.,N.«or  Ce«<ure«.-Bill  rather  long,  the  outlines,  that  of  the  culmen 

especially,  decidedly  curved.     The  lateral  ridge  much  nearest  the  ="l-°«n.  '«>^; 

though  quite  distinct  at  the  base,  disappearing  before  coming    o  the  lower  edge  of 
he  mandible;  not  overhanging  the  nostrils,  which  are  broadly  ova^,  rounded  an- 

terioriy,  and  not  concealed  by  the  bristly  feathers  at  the  base;  outer  pair  of  toes 

nearlv  eaual,  the  anterior  rather  'longer. 

CoiIpti;*  or  Colaptea>.-mi  much  depressed,  and  the  upper  outline  much 

curved  to  the  acutely  pointed  (not  truncate)  tip;  the  commissure  considerably 

culr^ed,  bill  without  any  ridges;  the  nostrils  broadly  oval,  and  much  exposed; 

anterior  outer  toe  longest. 

PlCrrS  ■nLlOSaS.  —  LintumsA 
y  The  Hairy  Woodpecker.  - 
Picw  wflom,Linna>u8.    Syst.,  1. 175.    Bonap.  Syn.,  46,  and  others. 

,  Descbiftion. 

"The  Hairy  Woodpecker  is  nine  inches  long  and  fifteen  in  ««te"'!  "^f 

black    line  over  and  under  the  eye  white;  the  eye  is  placed  m  a  black  hue 

ttia^  widens  alit  descends  to  the  back;  hind  head  scarlet,  sometimes  intermixed 

i&Wack;   nostrils  hid  under  remarkably  thick,  bushy,  -umbent  hairs,  or 

b  isaes,  under  the  bUl  are  certain  long  hairs  thrown  forward  and  upward,  b.U 


1  See  p.  84,  vol.  IX.,  Pacific  K.R.  Report*. 


mmseSM^ 


yaii.«,u?<^;..w^jf  psaaf^iffiiaaaiissgai. , 


MBi. 


88 


ORNITHOLOaY  AND   OOLOGY. 


a  bluish  hom-color,  grooved,  wedged  at  the  end,  straight,  and  about  an  inch  and  A 
quarter  long;  touches  of  black,  proceeding  from  the  lower  mandible,  end  in  a  broad 
black  strip  that  joins  the  black  on  the  shoulder;  back  black,  divided  by  a  broad, 
lateral  strip  of  white,  the  feathers  composing  which  are  loose  and  unwebbcd,  resem- 
bling hairs,  —  whence  its  name ;  rump  and  shoulders  of  the  wing  black ;  wings  black, 
tipped  and  spotted  with  white,  three  rows  of  spots  being  visible  on  the  secondaries 
and  five  on  the  primaries;  greater  wing  coverts  also  Bjiott-id  with  white;  tnil,  as  in 
the  others,  cuneiform,  consisting  of  ten  strong-shafted  and  pointed  feathers,  the  four 
middle  ones  black,  the  next  partially  white,  the  two  exterior  ones  white,  tinged  at 
the  tip  with  a  brownish  burnt-color ;  tail  coverts  black ;  whole  lower  side  pure-white ; 
legs,  feet,  and  claws  light-blue,  the  latter  remarkably  large  and  strong;  inside  of  the 
mouth  flesh-colored;  tongue  pointed,  beset  with  barbs,  and  capable  of  being  pro- 
truded more  than  an  inch  and  a  half;  the  os  hyoides,  in  this  species,  passes  on  each 
side  of  the  neck,  ascends  the  skull,  passes  down  towards  the  nostril,  and  is  wound 
round  the  bone  of  the  right  eye,  which  projects  considerably  more  than  the  left  for 
its  accommodation.  The  great  mass  of  hairs  that  cover  the  nostril  appears  to  be 
designed  as  a  protection  to  the  front  of  the  head,  when  the  bird  is  engaged  in  digging 
holes  into  the  wood.  The  membrane  which  encloses  the  brain  in  this,  as  in  all  the 
other  species  of  woodpeckers,  is  also  of  extraordinary  strength ;  no  doubt,  to  prevent 
any  bad  effects  from  violent  concussion  while  the  bird  is  employed  in  digging  for 
food.  The  fem(^e  wants  the  red  on  the  hind  head,  and  the  white  below  is  tinged 
with  brownish." — Wilson. 


THE  above  description,  as  given  by  Wilson,  is  very  full 
and  complete.     This  Woodpecker  is  a  rather  common 
visitor  in  New  England,  in  the  spring,  fall,  and  winter 

months,  and  is,  to 
some  extent,  a  resi- 
dent through  the  year. 
Probably  the  greater 
'number  retire  to  the 
North  in  the  breeding 
season  ;  and  those  that 
remain  in  the  south- 
ern districts  of  these 
States  most  usually  seek  the  woods  for  their  summer 
homes,  and  are,  as  a  general  thing,  seldom  met  with 
in  the  thickly  settled  districts.  The  flight  is  a  waver- 
ing, undulating  one,  like  that  of  all  the  woodpeckers ; 
consisting  of  a  series  of  short  vibrations  of  the  wings, 
followed  by  a  downward,  soaring  movement,  which  is  suc- 
ceeded by  another  similar  series.    On  alighting,  the  bird 


Skull  and  tongue  of  Woodpecker. 


i 


I 


Hairt  Woodpecker,  Ac/m  villosm.     Lininuus. 


V 


"■""»w*a)wmn 


I  ■; 


ii«ft.-Mi.tifk'ri'..»Ttfrt.TT'-WMTnrmTh^wiif<«i»M.«.aiiTaf^.wfe:'^^ 


>mA 


THE   DOWNT   WOODPECKER. 


89 


h^ 


I 


Btrikog  its  object  with  both  foot,  and  malcos  no  dlHcriinina- 
tion  botwcon  a  horizontal  branch  or  limb  and  a  porpondiciilar 
one.  It  commoncos  its  building  operations  quite  early,  often 
by  the  20tli  of  April.  The  nest  is  made  by  excavating  in 
old  trees  in  tlie  woods,  rarely  in  orchards :  the  hole  made  is 
often  as  much  as  eighteen  inciics  in  deptii,  in  some  cases 
hardly  five  inches.  A  post  in  a  fence  is  sometimes  taken 
for  a  breeding-place,  the  hole  in  whiuli  the  rail  is  inserted 
furnishing  a  starting-place  for  the  excavation  of  the  nest. 

The  eggs  are  usually  five  in  number ;  seldom  more,  often 
less :  they  are  of  a  beautiful  clear-white  color,  and  the  shell 
is  very  smooth  and  rather  thin ;  and,  before  the  contents  of 
the  egg  are  removed,  they  impart  a  rosy  tint  to  it.  Speci- 
mens vary  in  size  from  .77  to  .84  inch  in  length,  hy  from 
.62  to  .68  inch  in  breadth. 

The  nest  is  never  lined  with  loaves  or  other  soft  materials, 
80  far  as  my  observation  has  been  ;  but  the  eggs  are  depos- 
ited on  a  small  pile  of  chips  of  tho  rotten  wood,  which  seem 
to  be  left  by  the  bird  designedly  for  this  purpose. 

The  food  of  tiiis  species  consistn  principally  of  the  eggs 
and  larvae  of  injurious  insects  that  are  burrowing  in  the 
wood  of  our  fruit  and  forest  trees :  these  he  is  enabled  to 
obtain  by  chiselling  out  a  small  hole  with  his  powerful  bill, 
and  drawing  them  from  their  lurking-places  with  his  long 
barbed  tongue.  He  also  eats  some  small  fruits  and  berries, 
but  never,  so  far  as  I  am  aware,  the  buds  pr  blossoms  of 
trees,  as  some  persons  assert. 


ri 


KCUS  PUBESCENS.  — Z,inmw«. 
X  The  Downy  Woodpecker,— 

Pinu  pubueeni,  LmnienB.    Syst.  Nat,  I.  (1766)  16.    Vieill.  Ois.  Am.  (1807)  66. 
Ptau  pubttcen$»  Linnwiw,  Wilson.     Am.  Ore.  I.  (1808)  168.     Aud.  Orn 
Biog.  n.  (1884). 

Description. 
A  miniature  of  P.  vilUm*.    Above  black,  with  a  white  band  down  the  back ;  two 
white  stripes  on  the  side  of  the  headj  the  lower  of  opposite  sides  always  separated, 
the  upper  sometimes  confluent  on  the  nape;  two  stripes  of  black  on  the  side  of  the 


W 


I 


h 


i 


[ 


90 


ORNITHOLOOT  AND  OOLOOT. 


he«d,  th«  lower  not  runnlnR  Into  the  forehead i  beneath  white;  winR  much  upotted 
with  whit.) I  the  Inrger  coverlii  with  two  (lori.w  each;  t.-rtiarien  or  inner  mTon.larie* 
all  ban.led  with  white;  two  outer  i«il  (V-nfhem  white,  with  two  l)aM(lii  of  hladi  at  the 
end,  third  while  at  tip  and  externally.  Male,  with  red  termlnat.Hg  the  white  feathers 
on  the  niipe;  Ickh  and  feet  bluish-groen ;  clawi  li«ht-bluo  tipped  with  black  i  iri» 
dark-hazel. 

Lcu«th,  about  alx  and  •  quarter  incheii  wing,  thiM  and  thtve-quarUn. 

Tills  littlo  Woodpockor— tho  smallost  wo  havo — is  abun- 
dantly (llstributod  throughout  Now  England,  and  is  a  rosi- 
dont  throughout  tho  year.  Tho  oxcoodingly  intorosting 
description  of  its  habits,  by  Wilson,  is  so  full  tliat  I  will  givo 
it  entire.    Ho  says :  — 

"  About  the  middle  of  Mny,  the  male  and  female  look  out  for  a 
suitable  place  for  tho  reception  of  their  eggs  and  young.    An  apple, 
pear,  or  cherry  tree  —  often  in  tho  near  neighborhood  of  tho  furm- 
houBe  — is  generally  fixed  upon  for  this  purpose.     The  tree  is  mi- 
nutely reconnoitred  for  several  days  previous  to  tho  operation ;  and 
the  work  is  first  begun  by  the  male,  who  cuts  out  a  hole  in  the  solid 
wood  as  circular  as  if  described  with  a  pair  of  compasses.     lie  is 
occasionally  relieved  by  the  female,  both  parties  working  with  the 
most  indefatigable  diligence.     The  direction  of  the  hole,  if  made  in 
the  body  of  the  tree,  is  generally  downwards,  by  an  angle  of  thirty 
or  forty  degrees,  for  the  distance  of  six  or  eight  mches,  and  then 
straight  down  for  ten  or  twelve  more :   within,  roomy,  capacious, 
and  as  smooth  as  if  polished  by  the  cabinet-maker;  but  the  entrance 
is  judiciously  left  just  so  largo  as  to  admit  the  bodies  of  the  owners. 
During  this  labor,  they  regularly  carry  out  the  cliips,  often  strewing 
them  at  a  distance,  to  prevent  suspicion.    This  operation  sometimes 
occupies  the  chief  part  of  a  week.     Before  she  begins  to  lay,  the 
female  often  visits  the  place,  passes  out  and  in,  examines  every 
part  —  both   of  the  exterior  and  ulterior  —  with  great  attention 
(as  every  prudent  tenant  of  a  new  house  ought  to  do),  and  at 

length  takes  complete  possession.    The  eggs  are  generally  six, 

pure-white,  and  laid  on  the  smooth  bottom  of  the  cavity.  The 
iiiule  occasionally  supplies  the  female  with  food  while  she  is  sitting ; 
and,  about  the  last  week  in  June,  the  young  are  perceived  making 
their  way  up  the  tree,  climbing  with  considerable  dexterity.  All 
this  goes  on  with  great  regularity  where  no  interruption  is  met 


(If 


I 


mm 


mm 


i 


THE   DOWNY   WOODPKCKKR. 


91 


'r 


with  ;  but  tho  Ilouae  Wron,  who  aNo  huiliU  in  the  hollow  of  » 
treo,  hut  who  \»  neithor  f\imiMhe<l  with  the  neecHHary  tools  nor 
strength  for  exciivating  aueh  an  apartment  for  hiniHelf,  allows  thu 
woodpeckers  to  go  on  till  he  thhiki  it  will  answer  his  purixMe, 
then  attacks  thorn  with  violence,  and  generally  gucceods  in  driving 
them  off,  I  saw,  some  weeks  ago,  a  striking  example  of  this, 
where  tho  Woodpeckers  we  are  now  di'siribing,  after  commencing 
in  a  chorry-tree,  within  n  few  yards  of  tho  house,  and  having  made 
considerable  progress,  were  turned  out  by  tho  Wren.  Tho  former 
b»)gan  again  on  a  poar-tree  in  tho  garden,  fifteen  or  twenty  yards 
off,  whence,  after  digging  out  a  most  complete  apartment,  and  ou« 
egg  being  laid,  they  were  once  more  assaulted  by  the  same  lm|)er- 
tinont  intruder,  and  finally  forced  to  abandon  the  place. 

"  The  principal  characteristics  of  this  little  bird  are  diligence, 
familiarity,  perseverance,  and  a  strength  and  energy  in  the  head 
and  muscles  of  the  neck  which  are  truly  astonishing.  Mounted  on 
the  infected  branch  of  an  old  apple-tree,  whore  insects  have  lotlged 
their  corroding  and  destructive  brood  in  crevices  between  the  bark 
and  wood,  ho  labors  sometimes  for  half  an  hour  incessantly  at  the 
same  spot,  before  he  has  succeeded  in  dislodging  and  destroying 
them.  At  these  times,  you  may  walk  up  pretty  close  to  the  tree, 
and  even  stand  immediately  below  it,  within  five  or  six  feet  of  the 
bird,  without  in  tho  least  embarrassing  him.  The  strokes  of  his 
bill  are  distinctly  heard  several  hundred  yards  off;  and  I  have 
known  him  to  bo  at  work  for  two  hours  together  on  the  same  tree. 
Buffon  calls  this  '  incessant  toil  and  slavery ; '  their  attitude,  *  a 
painful  posture ; '  and  their  life,  '  a  dull  and  insipid  existence,'  — 
expressions  improper  because  untrue,  and  ab=n;i(l  bncause  con- 
tradictory. The  posture  is  that  for  which  the  wiiole  organization 
13  particularly  adapted;  and  though  to  a  ^^'')•tu  or  a  IIi  mming- 
bird  the  labor  would  be  both  toil  and  slavery,  yet  to  liira  it  is,  I 
am  convinced,  as  pleasant  and  as  amusing  as  tho  eports  of  the 
chase  to  the  hunter,  or  the  sucking  ol  flowers  to  t'le  Humming- 
bird. The  eagerness  with  which  he  traverses  the  upper  and  lower 
sides  of  the  branches,  the  cheerfulness  of  his  cry,  and  the  liveli- 
ness of  his  motions  while  digging  into  the  tree  and  dislodging  the 
vermin,  justify  this  belief.  He  has  a  single  note,  or  chink,  which, 
like  the  former  species,  he  frequently  repeats ;  and  when  he  flies 


m     ' 
1 


92 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


off,  or  alights  on  another  tree,  he  utters  a  rather  shriller  cry,  com- 
posed of  nearly  the  same  kind  of  note,  quickly  reiterated.  In  fall 
and  winter,  he  associates  with  the  Titmouse,  Creeper,  &c.,  both  in 
their  wood  and  orchard  excursions,  and  usually  leads  the  van.  Of 
all  our  Woodpeckers,  none  rid  the  apple-trees  of  so  rhany  vermin 
as  this,  digging  off  the  moss  which  the  negligence  of  the  proprie- 
tor had  suffered  to  accumulate,  and  probing  every  crevice.  In 
fact,  the  orchard  is  his  favorite  resort  in  all  seasons ;  and  his  indus- 
try is  unequalled  and  almost  incessant,  which  is  more  than  can  be 
said  of  any  other  species  we  have.  In  fall,  he  is  particularly  fond 
of  boring  the  apple-trees  for  insects,  digging  a  circular  hole  through 
the  bark,  just  sufficient  to  admit  his  bill;  after  that,  a  second, 
third,  &c.,  in  pretty  regular  horizontal  circles  round  the  body  of 
the  tree :  these  parallel  circles  of  holes  are  often  not  more  than  an 
inch  or  an  inch  and  a  half  apart,  and  sometimes  so  close  together 
that  I  have  covered  eight  or  ten  of  them  at  once  with  a  dollar. 
From  nearly  the  surface  of  the  ground  up  to  the  first  fork,  and 
sometimes  far  beyond  it,  the  whole  bark  of  many  apple-trees  is 
perforated  in  this  manner,  so  as  to  appear  as  if  made  by  successive 
discharges  of  buck-shot ;  and  our  little  "Woodpecker  —  the  subject 
of  the  present  account — is  the  principal  perpetrator  of  this  sup- 
posed mischief:  I  say  supposed,  for,  so  far  from  these  perforations 
of  the  bark  being  ruinous,  they  are  not  only  harmless,  but,  I  have 
good  reason  to  believe,  really  beneficial  to  the  health  and  fertility 
of  the  tree.  I  leave  it  to  the  philosophical  botanist  to  account  for 
this ;  but  the  fact  I  am  confident  of.  In  more  than  fifty  orchards 
which  I  have  myself  carefully  examined,  those  trees  which  were 
marked  by  the  Woodpecker  (for  some  trees  they  nevr  touch,  per- 
haps because  not  penetrated  by  insects)  wei'e  uniformly  the  most 
thriving,  and  seemingly  the  most  productive.  Many  of  these  were 
upwards  of  sixty  years  old,  their  trunks  completely  covered  with 
holes,  while  the  branches  were  broad,  luxuriant,  and  loaded  with 
fruit  Of  decayed  trees,  more  than  three-fourths  were  untouched 
by  the  Woodpecker.  Several  intelligent  farmers,  with  whom  I 
have  conversed,  candidly  acknowledge  the  truth  of  these  observa- 
tions, and  with  justice  look  upon  these  birds  as  beneficial :  but  the 
most  common  opinion  is,  that  they  bore  the  tree  to  suck  the  sap, 
and  so  destroy  its  vegetation :  though  pine  and  other  resinous  trees, 


THE  DOWNY   WOODPECKER. 


98 


on  the  juices  of  which  it  is  not  pretended  they  feed,  are  often 
found  equally  perforated.  Were  the  sap  of  the  tree  their  object, 
the  saccharine  juice  of  the  birch,  the  sugar-maple,  and  several 
others,  would  be  much  more  inviting  (because  more  sweet  and 
nourishing)  than  that  of  either  the  pear  or  apple  tree ;  but  I  have 
not  observed  one  mark  on  the  former  for  ten  thousand  that  may  be 
seen  on  the  latter.  Besides,  the  early  part  of  spring  is  the  season 
when  the  sap  flows  most  abundantly ;  whereas,  it  is  only  during 
the  months  of  September,  October,  and  November,  that  Wood- 
peckers are  seen  so  indefatigably  engaged  in  orchards,  probing 
every  crack  and  crevice,  boring  through  the  bark  —  and,  what  is 
worth  remarking,  chiefly  on  the  south  and  south-west  sides  of  the 
tree  — for  the  eggs  and  larvae  deposited  there  by  the  countless 
Bwarms  of  summer  insects.  These,  if  suffered  to  remain,  would 
prey  upon  the  very  vitals  — if  I  may  so  express  it  — of  the  tree, 
and  in  the  succeeding  summer  givfl  birth  to  myr'ads  more  of  their 
race,  equally  destructive. 

"  Here,  then,  is  a  whole  species,  I  may  say  genus,  of  birds, 
which  Providence  seems  to  have  formed  for  the  protection  of  our 
fruit  and  forest  trees  from  the  ravages  of  vermin,  which  every  day 
destroy  millions  of  those  noxious  insects  that  would  otherwise  blast 
the  hopes  of  the  husbandman;  they  even  promote  the  fertility 
of  the  tree,  and,  in  return,  are  proscribed  by  those  who  ought  to 
have  been  their  protectors,  and  incitements  and  rewards  held  out 
for  their  destruction!  Lotus  examine  better  into  the  operations 
of  nature,  and  many  of  our  mistaken  opinions  and  groundless 
prejudices  will  be  abandoned  for  more  just,  enlarged,  and  humane 
modes  of  thinking." 

The  nest  and  eggs  are  of  the  same  description  as  the 
Hairy  Woodpecker's,  except  with  regard  to  size ;  the  eggs 
of  the  present  species  being  considerably  smaller  on  the 
average,  measuring  from  .73  to  .77  inch  in  length,  by 
from  .60  to  .63  inch  in  breadth.  I  think  that  the  nests  of 
this  species,  as  of  some  others,  are  \ised  for  successive 
seasons,  as  I  have  found  apparently  old  nests  occupied  by 
breeding  birds.  I  am  not  aware  that  the  Hairy  Wood- 
pecker uses  the  same  nest  several  seasons.    The  Downy 


■:mmMm 


liiiiiiiiiMWWiiiliil 


^J 


94 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


Woodpecker  sometimes  rears  two  broods  in  tlie  southern 
portion  of  New  England ;  usually,  but  one. 

PICOIDES,  Lacepede. 

Picoidei,  Lackpkde,  Mem.  Inst.  (1799). 

Bill  about  as  long  as  tiie  head,  very  much  depressed  at  the  base;  the  outlines 
nearly  straight;  the  lateral  ridge  at  its  base  much  nearer  the  commissure  than  the 
culuien,  80  as  to  bring  the  large  rather  linear  nostrils  close  to  the  edge  of  the  com- 
missure ;  the  gcnys  very  long,  equal  to  the  distance  from  the  nostrils  to  the  tip  of  the 
bill;  feet  with  only  three  toes;  the  outer  lateral  a  little  longer  thiin  the  inner,  but 
slightly  exceeded  by  the  hind  toe,  which  is  about  equal  to  the  tarsus;  wings  very 
long,  reaching  beyond  the  middle  of  the  tail;  fourth  and  fifth  quills  longest;  color 
black,  with  a  broad  patch  of  yellow  on  the  crown;  transversely  banded  on  the  sides; 
quills  with  round  spots. 

PICOIDES   ABCTICnS.  — Gray. 
The  Black-backed,  Three-toed  Woodpecker. 

Pieut  {Aptemut)  arcHcus.    Sw.  F.  Bor.  Am.,  II.  (1881)  818. 

Picus  arcticm.    Aud.  Syn.  (1889)  182.     /».,  Birds  Amer.,  IV.  (1842)  266.     Nut- 

tall,  Man.,  I.  (20  ed.  1840)  691. 

Picus  tridactylui,  Bonaparte.     Am.  Cm.,  U.  (1828)  14.    And.  Orn.  Biog.,  U. 

(X884). 

Desoriftioii. 

Above  entirely  unifbnn  glossy  bioish-black ;  a  square  patch  on  the  middle  of  the 
crown  saffron-yellow,  and  a  few  spots  on  the  outer  edges  of  both  webs  of  the  primary 
and  secondary  quills ;  beneath  white,  on  the  sides  of  the  breast  longitudinally  striped, 
and  on  the  sides  of  the  belly  and  on  the  flanks  and  tibial  region  banded  transversely 
vrith  black;  a  narrow  concealed  white  line  from  the  eye  a  short  distance  backwards, 
and  a  white  stripe  firom  the  extreme  forehead  (meeting  anteriorly)  under  the  eye, 
and  down  the  sides  of  the  neck;  bristly  feathers  of  the  base  of  the  bill  brown;  ex- 
posed portion  of  the  two  outer  tail  feathers  (first  and  second)  white ;  bill  bluish-black, 
the  lower  mandible  grayish -blue;  iris  bluish-black.  Female,  without  yellow  on  the 
head. 

Length,  about  nine  and  a  half  inches;  wing,  five;  tail,  three  eighty-five  one- 
hundredths. 

This  species  is  rare  in  the  three  southern  New-England 
States,  where  it  is  found  only  as  a  winter  visitor.  In  the 
others,  it  is  not  very  abundant,  and  is  only  resident,  in 
the  most  northern  sections,  in  the  neighborhood  of,  or  in,  the 
deep  forests  and  uninhabited  districts,  through  the  year. 

Its  habits  are  similar  to  those  of  the  other  woodpeckers. 
I  have  had  abundant  opportunities  of  noticing  them,  and 
have  discovered  nothing  peculiar  in  them,  or  worthy  of  re- 


V 


^.^mfa^tim.^.\m*^h    mavm 


i 


II 


THE  BANDED   THBEE-TOED   WOODPECKER. 


95 


V 


mark.  Its  breeding  habits  are  not  well  known ;  but  it 
probably  breeds  in  all  the  large  forests  of  Northern  Maine, 
New  Hampshire,  and  Vermont. 

I  was  80  fortunate  as  to  find  two  nests  in  the  month  of 
June,  1864,  in  the  valley  of  the  Magalloway  River,  about 
forty  miles  north  of  Lake  Umbagog,  Me.  The  holes  were 
both  excavated  in  hemlock  stumps,  about  ten  feet  from  the 
ground ;  they  were  not  over  an  inch  and  a  half  in  diameter, 
and  were  about  ten  inches  in  depth:  the  bottom  of  the 
hole  formed  the  nest,  which,  as  with  the  other  species,  was 
nothing  but  a  few  chips  and  bits  of  wood.  The  first  nest, 
found  on  the  15th  of  June,  had  three  young  birds,  appar- 
ently about  a  week  old.  The  second  nest  had  three  eggs : 
these  were  of  a  beautiful  clear-white  color,  and  the  shells 
remarkably  smooth  to.  the  touch.  Their  dimensions  varied 
only  from  .83  to  .86  inch  in  length,  by  .75  to  .77  inch  in 
breadth. 

PICOIDES  nasmtJS.— Gray. 

The  Banded  Three-toed  Woodpecker. 

PtctM  WrtBftw,  Vieillot  Oi».  Am.  Sept,  II.  (1807)68.  And.  Om.  Biog.,  V.  1«>, 
89, 184.     /*.,  Bird*  Am.,  IV.  (1842),  pi.  269.    Nutt.  Man.,  I.  (2d  ed.  1840)  692. 

Desobiption. 

Black  above;  the  back  vfith  transveree  bands  of  white  to  the  ramp;  a  white  line 
from  behind  the  eye,  widening  on  the  nape,  and  a  broader  one  under  the  eye  from 
the  loral  region,  but  not  extending  on  the  forehead;  occiput  and  sides  of  the  head 
nniform  black;  quills  spotted  on  both  webs  with  white;  under  parts  white;  the  sides 
banded  transversely  with  black ;  top  of  the  head  spotted  with  whit: ;  the  crown  of 
the  male  with  a  yellow  patch;  bill  bliish-black;  iris  dark-hazel. 

Length,  about  nine  inches;  wing,  four  forty-five  one-hundredths;  tail,  three 
thirty-five  one-hundredths. 

This  bird  is  rarely  fouud  in  New  England,  except  in  the 
midst  of  severe  winters,  and  then  it  seldom  penetrates  so 
far  south  as  Massachusetts.  I  have  known  of  but  two  or 
three  specimens  being  obtained  in  this  State,  and  never 
heard  of  any  being  shot  in  the  others  south  of  it.  Having 
had  no  opportunities  for  observing  its  habits,  I  can  add 
nothing  to  our  knowledge  of  this  species. 


;  « 


.■oiiJittJiaaiiWiMMBii 


mm 


hm^ 


! 


96 


OBKITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


SPHYBAPICUS,  Baibd. 


Pilumnu$,  Bonaparte.  Consp.  Zygod.  Ateneo  Italinno,  May,  1854.  (P.  tty- 
roideus.) 

Bill  as  in  Picu$,  but  the  lateral  ridge,  which  is  very  prominent,  running  out  dis- 
tinctly to  the  commissure  at  about  its  middle,  beyond  which  the  bill  is  rounded 
without  any  angles  at  all;  the  culmen  and  gonys  are  very  nearly  straight,  but 
slightly  convex,  the  bill  tapering  rapidly  to  a  point;  the  lateral  outline  concave  to 
very  near  the  slightly  bevelled  tip;  outer  pair  of  toes  longest;  the  hinder  exterior 
rather  longest;  the  inner  posterior  toe  very  short,  less  thnn  the  inner  anterior  with- 
out its  claw;  wings  long  and  pointed,  the  fourth  longest;  taU  feathers  very  broad, 
abruptly  acuminate,  with  a  very  long  linear  poinL 

SPHTEAWCU8  VAMnS.--5atr<l 

The  Yellow-bellied  Woodpecker. 

Ptcus  varivi,  LInnwus.  Syst  Nat.,  I.  (1768)  176.  Wilson,  Am.  Om.,  I.  (1808) 
147.    Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  H.  (1884)  619. 

Dkscriptioiii. 

Fourth  quill  longest;  third  a  little  shorter;  fourth  considerably  shorter;  general 
color  above  black,  much  variegated  with  white;  feathers  of  the  back  and  rump 
brownish-white,  spotted  with  black;  crown  scarlet,  bordered  by  black  on  the  sides 
of  the  head  and  nape;  a  streak  from  above  the  eye,  and  another  from  the  bristles  of 
the  bill,  passing  below  the  eye  and  into  the  yellowish  of  the  belly,  and  a  stripe  along 
the  edges  of  the  wing  coverts  white;  a  triangular  broad  patch  of  scarlet  on  the  chin, 
bordered  on  each  side  by  black  stripes  from  the  lower  mandible,  which  meet  behind, 
and  extend  into  a  large  quadrate  spot  on  the  bilast;  rest  of  under  parU  yellowish- 
white,  streaked  on  the  sides  with  black ;  inner  web  of  inner  tail-feather  white,  spotted 
with  black;  outer  feathers  black,  edged  and  spotted  with  white.  Female,  with  the 
red  of  the  throat  replaced  by  white.  Young  male,  without  bkck  on  the  breast, 
or  red  on  the  top  of  tlie  head;  iris  dark-hazel. 

Length,  eight  and  a  quarter  inches;  wing,  about  four  and  three-quarters;  tail, 
three  thirty  one-hnndredths. 

This  bird  is  very  irregularly  distributed  ia  New  England 
as  a  summer  visitor.  Verrill,  in  his  Catalogue,  before  re- 
ferred to,  says  that  it  is  a  common  summer  visitor,  and 
breeds  at  Norway,  Me.  J.  A.  Allen  say?,  that  near  Spring- 
field "  it  is  not  common,  and  is  only  seek  in  fall  and  spring, 
when  migrating.  I  have  never  seen  this  species  here  in 
summer,  and  do  not  thick  it  breeds  here;  though  I  am 
informed  by  W.  H.  Niles  that '  they  breed  plentifully  on  the 
hills  in  Western  Massachusetts,  twenty  or  thirty  miles  west 
of  Sprmgfield.' "  • 


:.^^aMitr,ft*~>i 


•  THE   YELLOW-BELUED   WOODPECKER. 


97 


So  far  as  my  own  observation  has  been,  it  is  not  found  at 
all  abundant  in  any  part  of  these  States ;  and  I  think,  that, 
on  the  seaboard,  it  is  rare. 

It  arrives  from  the  South,  from  about  the  10th  to  the  20th 
of  April,  and  soon  commences  pairing.  I  have  never  noticed' 
any  great  peculiarity  in  its  habits.  It  seems  to  prefer  the 
woods  to  the  more  open  districts,  and  very  seldom  indeed 
makes  its  appearance,  in  the  breeding  season,  in  the  orchards 
and  nurseries,  where,  as  it  is  often  said  by  persons  who  are 
prejudiced,  it  does  considerable  damage  in  boring  into  apple- 
trees  and  sucking  the^  sap ;  hence  it  is  called  the  "  Sap- 
sucker."  I  am  not  sufficiently  acquainted  with  its  habits,  in 
the  Western  States,  to  say  positively  that  it  does  not  eat 
some  of  the  inner  bark  of  trees,  when  in  pursuit  of  its 
favorite  insect-food ;  but  I  cannot  help  thinking  that  the 
denunciations  of  it,  so  often  seen  in  the  Western  papers, 
are  exaggerated. 

Dr.  Bryant,  who  has  paid  some  attention  to  the  examina- 
tion of  the  food  of  this  bird,  gives,  in  the  "  Proceedings  of 
the  Boston  Society  of  Natural  History,"  vol.  X.  91,  the  fol- 
lowing remarks:  — 

"It  has  long  been  known  that  some  of  our  smaller  woodpeckers 
pick  out  portions  of  the  sound  bark  of  trees,  particularly  of  apple- 
trees,  where  there  are  r-.o  larvae,  and  apparently  no  inducement  for 
them  to  do  so.  What  their  object  is  has  never  been  satisfactorily 
established.  In  Massachusetts,  I  am  not  aware  that  these  holes 
are  ever  Bufflciently  large  or  numerous  to  cause  any  material  injury 
to  the  apple-trees:  they  are  generally  seen  in  circles  round  the 
limbs  or  trunks  of  small  irregularly  rounded  holes,  and  in  this 
vicinity  are  made  almost  exclusively  by  the  Downy  Woodpecker 
(P.  pubescens),  aided  occasionally  by  the  Hairy  Woodpecker  (P. 
viUosua).  In  certain  parts  of  the  West,  however,  it  is  said  that 
great  damage  is  done  to  orchards  by  the  Yellow-bellied  Wood- 
pecker (S.  varius) ;  and  Dr.  Hoy,  of  Racine,  Wis.,  has  advanced 
the  theory  that  the  object  of  the  bird  in  so  doing  is  to  obtain  the 
inner  bark  for  food.  A  number  of  specimens  of  this  bird,  for- 
warded by  Dr.  Hoy  to  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  have  been 

7 


*■   ■ 


98 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


;  f 


i 


placed  in  my  hands  by  Professor  Baird  for  examination :  as  the 
specimens  are  alcoholic,  the  soft  parts  are,  as  is  always  the  case, 
too  much  distorted  to  be  available  for  correct  comparisons;  the 
gizzard,  however,  seems  smaller,  and  the  proventriculus  larger,  than 
•  in  other  species  of  this  family  with  which  I  have  compared  them. 
The  contents  of  the  stomach  are  berries,  small  coleoptera,  larvsB  of 
boring  beetles,  ants,  and  fragments  of  the  inner  bark  of  the  apple- 
tree." 

After  giving  minute  analyses  of  the  characteristics  of  the 
tongues  and  portions  of  the  skulls  of  the  different  small 
woodpeckers,  and  comparing  them  with  the  Yellow-bellied 
Woodpecker's,  showing  how  the  latter  dififer  from  the  others, 
he  says :  — 

"  The  general  shape  of  the  whole  tongue  is  not  much  unlike  that 
of  the  Robin ;  the  ciliated  edges  show  an  analogy  to  the  Melipha 
gidce,  and  indicate  that  the  sap  of  the  trees  pecked  by  them  may 
form  a  portion  of  their  food.  In  the  stomachs  of  the  six  individuals 
examined  by  me,  fragments  of  the  inner  bark  were  found  in  all,  so 
that  it  can  hardly  be  presumed  to  have  been  accidentally  introduced. 
It  is  evident,  from  the  shape  of  the  tongue,  that  it  is  not  used  as  a 
dart,  in  the  manner  of  the  true  Woodpecker,  to  draw  out  insects 
from  their  lurking-places,  but  that  these  are  seized  by  the  bill,  as  in 
other  insectivorous  birds.  Insects,  however,  probably  form  their 
chief  diet,  as  all  the  stomcchs  examined  also  contained  insects,  the 
quantity  of  which  was  greater  than  that  of  the  fragments  of  bark : 
in  one  bird,  there  were  two  larvae  of  a  boring  beetle,  so  large  that 
there  was  not  room  for  both  in  the  stomach  at  once,  and  one  re- 
mained in  the  lower  part  of  the  oesophagus.  K  these  were,  as  is 
probable,  the  larvae  of  the  Saperda,  they  would  do  more  damage 
than  twenty  woodpeckers ;  and  I  sincerely  hope  that  these  birds  are 
not  to  be  exterminated,  unless  it  is  clearly  demonstrated  that  the 
injury  caused  by  the  destruction  of  the  bark  is  not  more  than  com- 
pensat«d  by  their  destruction  of  noxious  insects." 

About  the  1st  of  May,  the  Tellow-bellied  Woodpecker 
commences  excavating  its  hole,  which  is  usually  in  a  de- 
cayed tree  in  the  woods,  but  occasionally  in  a  sound  tree. 


niKiii-n'r— ^■'"''r"^"'-^"""'*r-^'*'^  "- 


THE   PILEATED   WOODPECKER. 


99 


This  excavation  is  often  eighteen  or  twenty  inches  deep.  It 
is  not  lined  with  any  soft  material,  and  the  eggs  are  depos- 
ited on  chips  of  the  wood  left  in  the  bottom.  These  are 
usually  five  in  number ;  tliey  are  of  a  pure-white  color,  and 
small  for  the  size  of  the  bird,  measuring  from  .82  to  .86  inch 
in  length,  by  from  .74  to  .77  inch  in  breadth. 

HYLATOMTJS,  Baird. 

Dryototmu,  Maliierbe,  Mem.  Ac.  Metz.  (1849)  322.    (Not  of  Swainson,  1831.) 
Zh-yopiau,  Bojjap.    Consp.  Zygod.  in  Aten.  Ital.  (May,  1864).  (Not  of  Malherbe.) 

Bill  a  little  longer  than  the  head ;  considerably  depressed,  or  broader  than  high 
at  tlie  base;  shaped  much  as  in  Camptphilut,  except  shorter,  and  without  the  bristly 
feathers  directed  forwards  at  the  base  of  the  lower  jaw;  gon}-s  about  half  the  length 
of  the  commissure;  tarsus  shorter  than  any  toe  except  the  inner  posterior;  outer 
posterior  toe  shorter  than  the  outer  anterior,  and  a  little  longer  than  the  inner 
anterior;  inner  posterior  vety  short,  not  half  the  outer  anterior,  about  half  the  inner 
anterior  one. 

Tail  long,  graduated,  the  longer  feathers  much  incurved  at  the  tip;  wing  longer 
than  the  tail,  reaching  to  the  middle  of  the  exposed  surface  of  tail,  considerably 
graduated,  though  pointed,  the  fourth  and  fifth  quills  longest. 

Color  uniform  black,  with  white  patches  on  the  side  of  the  head ;  head  with 
pointed  crest. 

HTLATOBIUS  MLEATUS  —  JSmVA 
The  Pileated  Woodpecker;  Log  Cock. 

Ptctti  pileattu,  Linnseus.  Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1766)  178.  Vicill.  Ois.  Am.  Sept.,  II. 
(1807)58.    Wilson,  Am.  Om.,  IV.  (1811)27.    Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  H.  (1834)  74. 

Description. 

Fourth  and  fifth  quills  equal  and  longest,  third  intermediate  between  the  sixth 
and  seventh;  bill  blue-black;  general  color  of  body,  wings,  and  tail,  dull  greenish- 
black;  a  narrow  white  streak  from  just  above  the  eye  to  the  occiput,  a  wider  one 
from  the  nostril  feathers  (inclusive)  under  the  eye  and  along  the  side  of  the  head  and 
neck ;  side  of  the  breast  (concealed  by  the  wing),  axillaries,  and  under  wing  coverts, 
and  concealed  bases  of  all  the  quills,  with  chin  and  beneath  tlio  head,  white,  tinged 
with  sulphur-yellow;  entire  crown,  from  the  base  pf  the  bill  to  a  well-developed 
occipital  crest,  as  also  a  patch  on  the  ramus  of  the  lower  jaw,  scarlet-red ;  a  few 
white  crescents  on  the  sides  of  the  body  and  on  the  abdomen ;  iris  very  dark  hazel. 

Female  without  the  red  on  the  cheek,  and  the  anterior  half  of  that  on  the  top 
)f  the  head  replaced  by  black. 

Length,  about  eighteen  inches;  wing,  nine  and  a  half  inches. 

T'.ils  species  is  a  resident  in  the  northern  districts  of 
New  England  throughout  the  year.    It  has  been  known 


i 


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t!'W 


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MliiiiMlU 


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I 


f 


100 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND   OOLOGY. 


to  breed  in  Massachusetts  ;  but,  as  a  general  thinjj,  it  is  not 
found  south  of  the  northern  border  of  this  State.  Verrill, 
in  his  Catalogue  of  Maine  birds,  bofoi*  referred  to,  says 
"  it  is  a  common  resident,  and  breeds : "  he  also  says  it  is 
"  most  common  in  winter." 

The  great  size  and  strength  of  this  bird  enable  it  to 
pierce  into  and  tear  apart  the  decaying  trees  in  which  its 
food  is  burrowing,  with  wonderful  facility  and  ease.     I  have 
at  times,  in  passing  through  the  forest,  found  huge  trees 
that  had  died  and  fallen  to  the  ground,  with  their  bark 
stripped  off,  and  large  chips  torn  out,  as  if  some  animal  had 
been  at  work  on  them ;  and  I  always  supposed  that  a  bear 
had  been  amusing  himself,  as  those  animals  sometimes  do, 
in  this  employment.    One  day  I  discovered  the  author  of 
the  demolition,  and  it  Jjroved  to  be  the  Pileated  Woodpecker. 
While  seated  in  the  woods  near  the  settlement  known  as 
Wilson's  Mills  in  Maine,  I  heard  a  large  animal,  as  I  sup- 
posed, rooting  and  tearing  into  a  dead  tree  a  few  rods  off.     I 
crept  up  near  the  sound,  hoping  to  get  a  shot  at  a  bear,  when 
I  discovered  this  bird,  which  looked  very  much  like  a  black 
hen,  busily  at  work.    He  was  searching  for  the  borers  and 
large  black  ants  that  hide  beneath  the  bark ;  and  so  earnestly 
was  hq  employed,  that  he  permitted  me  to  approach  very 
near  him.    He  would  force  his  powerful  bill,  by  repeated 
strokes,  into  the  bark,  in  holes  in  a  direct  line  with  the 
grain,  until  he  had  marked  out  a  patch,  perhaps  six  or  eight 
inches  square,  and  then,  striking  into  it  diagonally,  tear  it 
off,  thus  exposing  the  living  vermin  beneath,  which  he  lost 
nf  time  in  securing.    After  clearing  that  spot,  he  moved  to 
another,  and  repeated  the  same  operation,  until,  by  a  sud- 
den movement,  I  startled  him,  when  he  flew  off,  uttering 
a  rattling  cackle  similar  to  that  of  a  garrulous  hen.    His 
flight  was  similar  to  that  of  the  other  woodpeckers  de- 
scribed in  another  place  in  this  volume.     In  addition  to 
insects,  this  Woodpecker  eats  acorns,  beech-nuts,  berries, 
and  Indian  corn,  but  is  not  at  all  troublesome  to  farmers ; 


MAMMMlMIMhHiMIMn 


mimiimtMtit^ 


i 


THE  PILEATEO  WOODPECKER. 


101 


and  the  little  that  it  pilfers  is  mu(!h  more  than  repaid  by 
the  immense  numbers  of  injurious  larvte  that  it  destroys. 

Wilson,  in  a  very  interesting  account  of  the  general 
habits  of  this  bird,  says :  — 

"  Almost  every  trunk  in  the  forest  where  he  resides  bears  the 
marks  of  his  chisel.  Wherever  he  perceives  a  tree  beginning  to 
decay,  he  examines  it  round  and  round  with  great  skill  and  dex- 
terity, strips  off  the  bark  in  sheets  of  five  or  six  feet  in  length,  to 
get  at  the  hidden  cause  of  the  disease,  and  labors  with  a  gayety  and 
activity  really  surprising.  He  is  sometimes  observed  among  the 
hills  of  Indian  corn,  and  it  is  said  by  some  that  he  frequently  feeds 
on  it.  Complaints  of  this  kind  are,  however,  not  general ;  many 
farmers  doubting  the  fact,  and  conceiving  that  at  these  times  he  is 
in  search  of  insects  which  lie  concealed  in  the  husk.  I  will  not  be 
positive  that  they  never  occasionally  taste  maize,  yet  I  have  opened 
and  examined  great  numbers  of  these  birds,  killed  in  various  parts 
of  the  United  States,  from  Lake  Ontario  to  the  Alatamaha  River, 
but  never  found  a  grain  of  Indian  corn  in  their  stomachs." 

Audubon  in  his  description  of  the  breeding  habits  of  this 
bird  says,  — 

"  The  hole  was  about  eighteen  inches  deep,  and  I  could  touch 
the  bottom  with  my  hand.  The  eggs,  which  were  laid  on  frag- 
ments of  chips  expressly  left  by  the  birds,  were  six,  large,  white, 
and  translucent  Before  the  woodpeckers  began  to  set,  I  robbed 
them  of  their  eggs,  to  see  if  th^  would  lay  a  second  time.  They 
waited  a  few  days,  as  if  undecided,  when,  on  a  sudden,  I  heard  the 
female  at  work  again  in  the  tree.  She  once  more  deepened 
the  hole,  made  it  broader  at  the  bottom,  and  recommenced  laying. 
This  time  she  laid  five  eggs.  I  suffered  her  to  bring  out  her  young, 
both  sexes  alternately  incubating,  each  visiting  the  other  at  inter- 
vals, peeping  into  the  hole  to  see  that  all  was  right  and  well  there, 
and  flying  off  afterwards  in  search  of  food." 


-r-^mmmmmm^ 


•iWB* 


102 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


MELANERPE8,  iiwAWSoM. 

Melanet-pt;  Swawson,  F.  B.  A.,  IL  (1881)  (typo  M.  trythrocephalvt). 

Bill  about  equal  to  the  head,  broader  than  high  at  the  ba«e,  but  becoming  com- 
pressed immediately  anterior  to  tha  commencement  of  the  gonys;  culmcn  and  gonys 
with  a  moderately  decided  angular  ridge;  both  decidedly  curved  from  the  very 
base;  a  rather  promincut  acute  ridgo  commences  at  the  base  of  the  mandible,  a  little 
below  the  ridge  of  the  culmeo,  and  proceeds  but  a  bhort  distance  anterior  to  the  nos- 
trils (about  one-third  of  the  way),  when  it  sinks  down,  and  the  bill  is  then  smooth} 
the  lateral  outlines  are  genUy  concave  from  the  basal  two-thirds,  then  gently  convex 
to  the  tip,  which  does  not  exhibit  any  abrupt  bevelling;  nostrils  open,  brondly  oval, 
not  concealed  by  the  feathers,  nor  entirely  basal;  the  outer  pair  of  toes  equal;  wings 
long,  broad;  third  and  fourth  quills  longest;  tail  feathers  broad. 

The  species  all  have  the  back  black,  without  any  spoU  or  streaks  anywhere. 


MELAHBEPES  EBYTHEOCEPHALIIS.  —  Btoaitmrn. 
The  Bed-headed  Woodpeoker. 

Picus  trythroetpkahi,  Linneus.  Syst  Nat.,  L  (1766)  174.  Wilson,  Am.  Om., 
L  (1810)  142.    Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  L  (1882). 

Descbiptiok. 

Head  and  neck  all  round  crimson-red,  margined  by  a  narrow  crescent  of  black 
on  the  upper  part  of  the  breast;  back,  primary  quills,  and  tail,  bluish-black;  under 
parts  generally,  a  broad  band  across  the  middle  of  the  wing,  and  the  rump  white; 
iris  hazel;  bill  and  feet  bluish-black.    The  female  is  not  different. 

Length  about  nine  and  three-quarters, inchea;  wing,  five  and  a  half. 

This  handsome  Woodpecker  is  a  not  very  common  summer 
inhabitant  of  New  England.  It  makes  its  appearance  from 
the  South  about  the  10th  of  Maj.  Its  habits  are  similar  t- 
those  of  the  other  species ;  and  I  recollect  nothing  of  any 
importance  that  is  peculiar  to  them  except,  perhaps,  that 
these  birds  seem  to  be  much  fonder  of  the  small  fruits  than 
either  of  the  others.    Wilson  says  of  this  fact :  — 

"Wherever  there  is  a  tree,  or  trees,  of  the  wild  cherry,  covered 
with  ripe  fruit,  there  you  see  them  busy  among  the  branches;  and, 
in  passing  orchards,  you  may  easily  know  where  to  find  the  earliest, 
sweetest  apples,  by  observing  those  trees  on  or  near  which  the 
Red-headed  Woodpecker  is  skulking:  for  he  is  so  excellent  a  con- 
noisseur  in  fruit,  that,  wherever  an  apple  or  pear  is  found  broached 
by  him,  it  is  sure  to  be  among  the  ripest  and  best  flavored.    When 


„ituimm0Ui^iekvtaM 


1 


,.^igmmmmmmiiM 


WOODPKCKKR,  Melanerpes  erythrocephalas.     Swaiimou. 


,  jpi  i.L    ^mmmimettmmmemmmmmammmmmttflHk 


I 


III 


Jill' 


Swainiioii. 


mmmmum 


r 


THE   RED-HEADED   WOODPECKER. 


103 


alarmed,  he  seizes  a  capital  one  by  slrjking  his  open  bill  deep  into 
it,  and  bears  it  off  to  the  woods.  When  the  Indian  corn  is  in  ite  . 
rich,  succulent,  milky  state,  he  attacks  it  with  great  eagerness, 
opening  a  passage  through  the  numerous  folds  of  the  husk,  and 
feeding  on  it  with  voracity.  The  girdled  or  deadened  timber,  so 
common  among  corn-fields  in  the  back  settlements,  are  his  favorite 
retreats,  whence  he  sallies  out  to  make  liis  depredations.  He  is 
fond  of  the  ripe  berries  of  the  sour  gum,  and  pays  pretty  regular 
visits  to  the  cherry-trees,  when  loaded  with  fruit.  Towards  fall,  he 
often  approaches  the  barn  or  farm-house,  and  raps  on  the  shingles 
and  weather-boards :  he  is  of  a  gay  and  frolicsome  disposition ;  and 
half  a  dozen  of  the  fraternity  are  frequently  seen  diving  and  vocif- 
erating around  the  high,  dead  limbs  of  some  large  tree,  pursuing 
and  playing  with  each  other,  and  amusing  the  passenger  with  their 
gambols.  Their  note,  or  cry,  is  shrill  and  lively;  and  so  much 
resembles  that  of  a  species  of  tree-frog,  which  frequents  the  same 
tree,  that  it  is  sometimes  difficult  to  distinguish  the  one  from  the 
other. 

"  Such  are  the  vicious  traits,  if  I  may  so  speak,  in  the  character 
of  the  Red-headed  Woodpecker ;  and  I  doubt  not  but,  from  what 
has  been  said  on  this  subject,  that  some  readers  would  consider  it 
meritorious  to  exterminate  the  whole  tribe  as  a  nuisance ;  and,  in 
fact,  the  legislatures  of  some  of  our  provinces,  in  former  times, 
offered  pvtJiiums  to  the  amount  of  twopence  per  head  for  their 
destruction.*  But  let  us  not  condemn  the  species  unheard:  they 
exist,  they  must  therefore  be  necessary.  If  their  merits  and 
usefulness  be  found,  on  examination,  to  preponderate  against  their 
vices,  let  us  avail  ourselves  of  the  former,  while  we  guard  as  well 
as  we  can  against  the  latter. 

"  Though  this  bird  occasionally  regales  himself  on  fruit,  yet  his 
natural  and  most  useful  food  is  insects,  particularly  those  numerous 
and  destructive  species  that  penetrate  the  bark  and  body  of  the 
tree  to  deposit  their  eggs  and  larvae,  the  latter  of  which  are  well 
known  to  make  immense  havoc.  That  insects  are  his  natural  food 
is  evident  from  the  construction  of  his  wedge-formed  bill,  the 
length,  elasticity,  and  figure  of  his  tongue,  and  the  strength  and 
position  of  his  claws,  as  well  as  from  his  usual  habits.    In  fact. 

1  Kalm.' 


ff^jii!ii^;fiimjflKj^»f$,nf^^mh}i9^!fJ-*!fP^p!!^^^^ 


104 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


uttBects  form  at  least  two-thirds  of  his  subsistence ;  and  his  stomach 
is  scarcely  ever  found  without  them.  He  searches  for  them  with  a 
dexterity  and  intelligence,  I  may  safely  say,  more  than  human :  he 
perceives,  by  the  exterior  appearance  of  the  bark,  where  they  lurk 
below ;  when  he  is  dubious,  he  rattles  vehemently  on  the  outside 
with'his  bill,  and  his  acute  ear  distinguishes  the  terrified  vermin 
shrinking  within  to  their  inmost  retreats,  where  his  pointed  and 
barbed  tongue  soon  reaches  them.  The  masses  of  bugs,  cater- 
pillars, and  other  larv£E,  whica  I  have  taken  from  the  stomachs 
of  these  birds,  have  often  surprised  me.  These  larvae,  it  should  be 
remembered,  feed  not  only  on  the  buds,  leaves,  and  blossoms,  but 
on  the  very  vegetable  life  of  the  tree,  —  the  alburnum,  or  newly 
forming  bark  and  wood.  The  consequence  is,  that  the  whole 
branches  and  whole  trees  decay  under  the  silent  ravages  of  these 
destructive  vermin ;  witness  the  late  destruction  of  many  hundred 
acres  of  pine-trees  in  the  north-eastern  parts  of  South  Carolina, 
and  the  thousands  of  peach-trees  that  yearly  decay  from  the  same 
cause.  Will  any  one  say,  that,  taking  half  a  dozen,  or  half  a 
hundred,  apples  from  a  tree,  is  equally  ruinous  with  cutting  it 
down?  or  that  the  services  of  a  useful  animal  should  not  be 
rewarded  with  a  small  portion  of  that  which  it  has  contributed  to 
preserve  ?  "We  are  told,  in  the  benevolent  language  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, not  to  muzzle  the  mouth  of  the  ox  tliat  treadeth  out  the 
corn;  and  why  should  not  the  same  generous  liberality  be  ex- 
tended to  this  useful  family  of  birds,  which  forms  so  powerful  a 
phalanx  against  the  inroads  of  many  millions  of  destructive  ver- 
min?" 

About  the  middle  of  May,  this  spocies  pairs,  and  soon 
commences  excavating  a  hole  in  a  tree,  either  in  the  woods 
or  orchard,  as  he  is  not  particular  in  his  choice.  This  work 
is  done  by  both  the  birds,  who  labor  with  industry  and 
cheerfulness  until  the  excavation  is  finished ;  this  is  from 
fourteen  to  eighteen  inches  deep,  and,  like  those  of  other 
woodpeckers,  is  roomy  at  the  bottom,  and  tapering  gradually 
to  the  entrance,  which  is  only  large  enough  for  the  comfort- 
able passage  of  the  bird :  it  is  not  lined,  but  the  bottom  is 
partly  covered  with  chips  from  the  sides  of  the  hole.    The 


■■Baae 


T 


THE  GOLDEN-WINGED  WOODPECKER. 


105 


[lis  stomach 
hem  with  a 
human:  he 
e  they  lurk 
the  outside 
fied  vermin 
lointed  and 
)ugs,  cater- 
e  stomachs 
it  should  be 
ossoms,  but 
1,  or  newly 
the  whole 
es  of  these 
ny  hundred 
h  Carolina, 
a  the  same 
,  or  half  a 
1  cutting  it 
luld  not  be 
itributed  to 
■  the  Scrip- 
eth  out  the 
lity  be  ex- 
powerful  a 
ructive  ver- 


,  and  soon 
the  woods 
This  work 
lustry  and 
lis  is  from 
56  of  other 
;  gradually 
16  comfort- 
bottom  is 
tiole.    The 


eggs  are  generally  five  or  six  in  number,  and  of  a  beautiful 
clear-white.  Dr.  Thompson  says,  in  his  "  Birds  of  Ver- 
mont," that  "  they  are  marked  with  reddish  spots  at  the 
large  end."  This  was  a  mistake;  for  the  eggs  of  wood- 
peckers are  always  immaculate.  The  shell  is  smoother 
than  that  of  any  other  woodpecker's  egg  of  my  acquaint- 
ance. Length  of  specimens  vary  from  1.07  to  1.12  inch, 
breadth  from  .77  to  .84  inch. 

COLAPTES,  SwAiMBOM. 

Cohptet,  SwAlNSON,  Zool.  Jonr.,  III.  (Dec.  1827)  858  (type  C.  auratui). 

Bill  slender,  depressed  at  the  base,  thee  compressed ;  culmen  much  curved ;  gonys 
straight,  both  with  acute  ridges,  and  coming  to  quite  a  sharp  point  with  the  com- 
missure at  the  end ;  the  bill  consequently  not  truncate  at  tlie  end ;  no  ridges  on  the 
bill ;  nostrils  basal,  median,  oval,  and  exposed ;  gonys  very  short,  about  half  the 
culmen;  feet  large,  the  anterior  outer  toe  considerably  longer  uiuu  l^b  nosterior;  tail 
long,  exceeding  the  secondaries,  the  feathers  su'ldenly  acuminate,  wit'i  elongated 
points. 

COLAPTES  AUBATUS.  —  Swatmion. 
y  The  Qoldan-winged  Woodpecker;  Flicker;  Pigeon  Woodpecker.— 

Picus  auratut,  Linnaua.  Syst.  Nat.  (1768'  174.  Wilson,  Am.  Om.,  I.  (1810)  45. 
And.  Om.  Biog.,  I.  (1882)  191. 

Desckiption. 

Shafts  and  under  surfaces  of  wing  and  tail  feathers  gamboge-yellow;  a  black 
patch  on  each  side  of  the  cheek;  a  red  crescent  on  the  nape;  throat  and  stripe 
beneath  the  eye  pale  lilac-brom ;  back  glossed  with  olivaceous-green ;  female  with- 
out the  black  cheek  patch ;  a  crescentic  patch  on  the  breast,  and  rounded  spots  on 
the  belly,  black;  back  and  wing  coverts  with  interrupted  transverse  bands  of  block; 
neck  above  and  sides  ashy. 

Length,  about  twelve  and  a  half  inches;  wing,  six. 

This  is  a  very  common  summer  inhabitant  of  New  Eng- 
land. It  is  probably  the  most  abundant  of  all  the  wood- 
peckers, and  is  very  generally  known.  It  is  in  the  southern 
districts  of  these  States  a  resident  throughout  the  year; 
and  in  Massachusetts  I  have  often  met  with  it  in  midwinter, 
when  the  season  was  not  of  the  mildest  either.  They  begin 
to  arrive  from  the  south  at  about  the  second  week  in 
March. 


■^••ilfWMBlii 


r^"'" 


II— ai.iMii  LiPiuim  »»  ■.>uwiiiii<.Wr.iiWWiliBWIIi 


106 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


The  habits  of  this  bird  are  so  well  known,  that  any 
description  here  seems  to  be  a  work  of  supererogation. 
About  the  first  week  in  May,  the  males  begin  to  pay  court 
to  the  females ;  at  this  period  their  movements  are  amusing. 

"  Their  note  is  merriment  itself,  as  it  imitates  a  prolonged  and 
jovial  laugh,  heard  at  a  considerable  distance.     Several  males  pur- 
sue a  female,  reach  her,  and,  to  prove  the  force  and  truth  of  their 
love,  bow  their  heads,  spread  their  tails,  and  move  sidewise,  back- 
wards, and  forwards,  performing  such  antics  as  might  induce  any  one 
witnessing  them,  if  not  of  a  most  morose  temper,  to  join  his  laugh 
to  theii-s.    The  female  flies  to  another  tree,  where  she  is  closely  fol- 
lowed by  one,  two,  or  even  half  a  dozen  of  these  gay  suitors,  and 
where  again  the  same  ceremonies  are  gone  through.     No  fightings 
occur,  no  jealousies  seem  to  exist  among  these  beaux,  until  a  marked 
preference  is  shown  to  some  individual,  when  the  rejected  proceed 
in  search  of  another  female.     In  this  manner,  all  the   Grolden- 
winged  Woodpeckers  are  soon  happily  mated.     Each  pair  imme- 
diately proceed  to  excavate  the  trunk  of  a  tree,  and  finish  a  hole  in 
it  sufficient  to  contain  themselves  and  their  young.     They  both 
work  with  great  industry  and  apparent  pleasure.     Should  the  male, 
for  instance,  be  employed,  the  female  is  close  to  him,  and  congratu- 
lates him  on   the  removal  of  every  chip  which  his  bill  sends 
through  the  air.    While  he  rests,  he  appears  to  be  speaking  to  her 
on  the  most  ten''er  subjects,  and  when  fatigued  is  at  once  assisted 
by  her.     Irf  this  manner,  by  the  alternate  exertions  of  each,  the 
hole  is  dug  and  fijiished."  —  Audubon. 

This  is  often  as  much  as  twenty  inches  in  depth,  and  in 
a  solid  tree  very  often  at  ihat.  On  the  bottom  of  this  hole, 
the  female  lays  six  pure-white  eggs :  these  are  generally  of 
uniform  ovoidal  shape,  and  vary  in  size  from  1  to  1.16  inch 
in  length,  by  from  .82  to  .92  in  breadth. 

When  the  eggs  are  removed,  the  female,  after  a  couple 
of  days'  deliberation,  lays  another  litter ;  and  I  have  known 
of  this  being  repeated  several  times  by  a  bird  that  was 
unwilling  to  leave  the  nest  whicL  she  and  her  mate  had 
been  at  so  much  labor  to  prepare.    Instances  have  occurred 


:iiown,  that  any 

supererogation. 

3gin  to  pay  court 

nts  are  amusing. 

15  a  prolonged  and 
Several  males  pur- 
and  truth  of  their 
)ve  sidewise,  back- 
ight  induce  any  one 
r,  to  join  his  laugh 
re  she  is  closely  fol- 
ise  gay  suitors,  and 
lUgh.  No  fightings 
aux,  until  a  marked 

16  rejected  proceed 
r,  all  the  Grolden- 

Each  pair  imme- 

and  finish  a  hole  in 

young.     They  both 

,     Should  the  male, 

him,  and  congratu- 

hich  his  bill  sends 

be  speaking  to  her 

is  at  once  assisted 

jrtions  of  each,  the 


in  depth,  and  in 
ttom  of  this  hole, 
I  are  generally  of 
am  1  to  1.16  inch 


lie,  after  a  couple 
and  I  have  known 
a  bird  that  was 
md  her  mate  had 
ices  have  occurred 


r 


Goi.DKN-WINOEn    AV'i 


OOD,..CKKU,  Colai„es  a.,rata,.     Swainaon. 


•'''"-^iiriiittrifiiTiiiiiriiiiiijijiiijij^^ 


i 


1 


• 


', 


■•  -■^-■■'-■-'MaMt^iiitiigMiitti 


^it^ijjk  V XII m^M  r I««^ '"         iJirrtiirtW^ati 


THE  OOLDEN-WINOED  WOODPECKER. 


107 


of  this  bird's  laying  eighteen  or  twouty  eggs  in  a  few 
days  they  being  removed  as  soon  as  laid,  and  only  two  or 
three  bcint-  loft,  in  the  nest  at  a  time.  Tlio  food  of  this  spe- 
cies consists  of  insects,  borrios,  and  grains.  Ants  are 
greedily  eaten  by  it,  and  constitute  no  inconsiderable  por- 
tion of  its  diet.  On  visiting  the  nest  at  night,  I  have  very 
seldom  been  able  to  catch  the  old  bird  in  it;  she  almost 
always  heard  my  approach,  and  took  flight:  once  I  caught 
her  on  the  nest ;  but,  as  I  put  my  hand  in  to  secure  her,  she 
attacked  it  with  fierce  pecks  of  her  bill,  and  made  such  an 
onslaught  that  I  was  glad  to  permit  her  to  escape.  But 
one  brood  is  roared  in  the  season. 


-■"■-■—"  '-tjMitiainHifnifriiT'it- 


108 


ORNITUOLOOY  AND  OOLOOY. 


' 


\ 


ORDER  III.  — INSESSORES.    Perohers. 

In  accordance  with  the  views  of  many  systematic  writers, 
\t  may  perhaps  be  as  well  to  retain  an  order  Jnsestorei,  and  to 
place  in  it  the  Strisores,  Clamatoret,  and  0$cine$  as  sub-orders. 
The  characters  of  the  order  will  then  consist  chiefly  in  the  posses- 
sion of  three  toes  in  front  and  one  behind  (or,  at  least,  never  with 
two  toes  directed  backwards),  as  in  Scansoret.  The  claws  are  not 
retractile,  nor  the  bill  with  a  cere,  as  in  the  JUaptorei ;  nor  is  the 
hind  toe  situated  appreciably  above  the  plane  of  the  others,  as  in 
Jiasorea,  Grallatores,  and  Natatorei. 

The  hind  toe  of  the  Insessores  corresponds  to  the  thumb  or 
inner  toe  of  the  mammals,  and  is  usually  quite  short.  The  joints 
of  the  anterior  toes  generally  follow  the  law  of  number  character- 
istic of  birds ;  namely,  two  to  the  hinder,  three  to  the  inner,  four 
to  the  middle,  and  five  to  the  outer  toes :  but  a  deviation  is  seen  in 
some  Strisores,  where  there  are  sometimes  but  three  joints  each  to 
the  anterior  toes,  and  sometimes  only  four  in  the  outer.  The  tarsi 
are  generally  covered  anteriorly  with  plates,  and  furnished  behind 
with  granulations  or  small  scales,  or  else  with  two  long  plates 
covering  the  sides,  the  latter  feature  especially  characteristic  of  the 
Oscines,  or  singing-birds :  in  the  latter  alone  is  the  tarsus  some- 
times covered  anteriorly  with  a  single  plate.  Sometimes  the  tarsus 
is  entirely  or  partly  naked,  or  destitute  of  plates  altogether. 

The  carpal  joint  or  the  hand  part  of  the  wing  is  in  most 
Jnsessores  furnished  with  ten  quills  (primaries),  although  the  first 
quill  is  sometimes  very  short,  or  even  entirely  wanting,  as  in  many 
Oscines.  The  fore-arm  has  from  six  (In  the  Humming-birds)  to 
thirteen  quills,  the  average  being  eight  or  nine. 

There  are  certain  peculiarities  in  the  arrangement  of  he 
wing  coverts  of  the  diflferent  sub-orders  of  Insessores,  constituting 
important  distinctive  features.  Some  of  these  will  "be  hereafter 
referred  to. 


>,"-SKiiSOS(B'?'-^"^''''i''''"'*"*"'*'''''*'*''**""**~ 


ORDER   III.  —  IN8Efi80RR8. 


109 


ft 


The  tail  of  the  Insestores  exhibits  conHiderable  differences. 
TVio  number  of  feathers  is  usually  twelve ;  sometimes  ten  only,  as 
in  the  Strisoret. 

The  different  groups  of  the  order  Imestorei  are  subject  to  con- 
siderable variations  in  respect  to  the  structure  of  the  lower  larynx 
attached  to  the  lachoa  or  windpipe  just  anterior  to  its  division 
into  the  two  bronchial  t  bes.  Cuvior  long  since  showed,  that  the 
true  singing-birds  had  the  larynx  provided  with  a  peculiar  appa- 
ratus for  the  purpose  of  effecting  a  modulation  of  the  voice, 
compesed  of  five  pairs  of  muscles,  of  which  other  birds  were 
destitute  in  greater  part,  or  entirely.  The  characteristic  of  the 
groups  Strisores,  Clamatoret,  and  Oscines,  and  of  their  subdivisions, 
as  will  be  shown  hereafter,  depend  very  much  on  these  peculiarities 

of  the  larynx. 

The  ti  igue  of  the  Insetsores  varies  to  a  considerable  degree. 
In  the  Humming-birds,  it  is  thread-like  and  bifurcated.  In  most 
other  insessorial  or  perching  birds,  it  is  long  or  short,  flat,  and 
triangular,  the  posterior  extremity  bilobed,  the  anterior  usually 
with  the  tip  horny,  serrated,  or  with  fibres,  more  rarely  smooth. 
These  furnish  important  characteristics  for  the  division  into  families, 
and  even  genera ;  the  variations  being  quite  considerable. 

See  Introduction,  and  vol.  IX.,  Pacific  R.R.  ReporU,  128. 


■■il 


ud 


OBNITHOLOOT   AND   OOLOGY. 


t 


SUB-ORDER  STRISORES. 


FAMii^r  TROCHILIDiE.     Tnc  Hdmmino-birds. 

There  Is  no  group  of  birds  so  Interesting  to  the  omitholngist  or  to  tho  caiua> 
observer  as  tho  Ilumraing-birdsj  at  once  the  smallest  in  size,  the  most  gorgeously 
beautif\il  in  color,  and  almost  the  most  abundant  in  species  of  any  single  family  of 
birds.  They  are  strictly  confined  to  'ne  continent  and  islands  of  America,  and  are 
most  abundant  in  the  Central- \uierican  States;  though  single  species  range  almost 
to  the  Arctic  regions  on  the  north  and  to  Patagonia  on  tho  south,  as  well  an  fh>m 
the  seacoast  to  the  frozen  s  immits  of  the  Andes.  The  number  of  Icnown  species 
considerably  exceeds  three  h  indrcd,  and  new  ones  are  being  constantly  brought  to 
light;  so  that  an  estimate  o(  four  hundred  species  is,  perhaps,  not  too  large.  Many 
are  very  limited  in  their  raiige;  some  confined  to  particular  islands,  even  though  of 
small  dimensions. 

The  bill  of  the  Humming-bird  is  awl-shaped  or  subulate,  thin,  and  sharp- 
pointed,  straight  or  curved;  sometimes  as  long  as  the  head,  sometimes  much 
longer.  The  m.indiblen  are  t^xcavated  to  the  tip  for  the  lodgement  uf  the  tongue, 
and  form  a  tube  by  the  close  ipposition  of  their  cutting  edges.  There  is  no  indica- 
tion of  stiff  bristly  feathers  at  tho  base  of  the  mouth.  The  tongue  has  some  resem- 
blance to  that  of  the  Woodi>cckcrs  in  the  elongation  of  the  comua  backwards, 
■o  as  to  pass  round  tiie  back  of  the  akull,  and  then  anteriorly  to  the  base  of  the 
bill.  The  tongue  itself  is  of  very  peculiar  structure,  consisting  anteriorly  of  two 
hollow  threads  closed  at  the  ends  and  united  behind.  Tho  food  of  the  Humming- 
bird consists  almost  entirely  of  insects,  which  are  captured  by  protruding  the  tongue 
into  flowers  of  various  sliapcs,  without  opening  the  bill  very  wide. 

The  wings  of  the  Humming-birds  are  long  and  falcate;  the  shafts  very  strong; 
the  primaries  usually  ten  in  number,  the  first  always  longest;  there  are  six  seconda- 
ries. The  tail  has  but  ten  feathers.  The  feet  ore  small;  the  claws  very  sharp  and 
strong.i 

The  species  known  to  inhabit  the  United  States,  lough  few,  are  yet  nearly  twice 
as  many  as  given  by  Mr.  Audubon.  It  is  probable  that  additional  ones  will  here- 
after be  detected,  particularly  on  our  southern  borders. 

The  different  authors  who  have  made  a  specialty  of  the  Hamming-birds  have 
named  a  great  many  sub-families  and  genera;  but  there  has  as  yet  been  no  published 
systematic  description  of  the  higher  groups.    It  is  probable  that  the  North-Ameri- 

1  Most  of  the  above  general  remarks  are  borrowed  fVom  Burmeister  (Thiere  Bia- 
siliens,  Vogel,  811),  to  which  I  would  refer  for  an  excellent  article  on  the  structure 
and  habits  of  Humming-birds. 


Btilte(iiii«i»Vi>)iiirr'iiii)i:iii.ujiMiii>jkiiiinirii<iiii 


— L 


THE  RUBY-TnnOATED   HUMMIN(J-BmD. 


Ill 


can  ipecici  belong  to  two  diflTerent  tub-fkitilllM,  —  th«  Lnmparnilhxna  uid  th«  7V»> 
chilinii,  —  anil  to  at  lca»t  four  (fenern!  hiit  the  procliifl  cliarHctcr  anil  llniits  of  then*  I 
am  unable  to  ^ive.  Tho  lulluwintt  rvmarkii,  liowovur,  may  lorva  tu  ikiitch  out  tba 
eharactere  of  tho  North-American  species  i  — 

A.  Edgea  of  mandible  serrated  neaf  the  end;  throat  without  metallic,  tcate-tika 
fbalhcra. 

LampomU, —  Bill  d«pre««ed,  tllKhtly  curved;  tail  broad,  uliphtly  emarKlnate,  the 
outjr  fuather  ai  broad  as  the  rest;  wings  reaching  tho  tip  of  tail;  no  metallic 
ft'utliorii  on  tho  thront. 

II.  Kdges  of  mandible  nearly  even  towards  the  tip,  without  distinct  tarratiouii 
throat  with  metallic,  scale-like  feathers. 

Truchiliu.  —  Feathers  of  tliroat  but  little  elongated  laterally,  lateral  tail  feathers 
but  little  narrower  than  the  others,  and  lanceolate-acute;  tail  forked. 

Sdaiphorut. —  Feathers  of  the  throat  much  elongated  lateially  into  a  niff;  Intrral 
tail  t'catliera  much  narrower  than  the  middle  ones,  and  linear  in  xhape,  or  with  the 
sidoA  parallel  to  the  end,  which  U  rounded;  tail  graduated  or  cuneate;  outer  primary 
attenuated  at  the  tip;  crown  without  metallic  scales. 

Allhii.  — Similar  to  the  last,  but  the  top  of  the  head  with  metallic  scales  like  tba 
throat;  the  outer  primary  not  attenuated;  tail  emarginated,  or  deeply  forked. 

TROCHILUS,  LwiiiKUB. 

TS0CHILT7S  COLUBBIS.-   /:iNn<eu«. 
/■  The  Bnby-throatad  HiunmiiiK-bird.  '^ 

Trochihu  colubrii,  LlnniBUS.    Syst  Nat,  I.  (1766)  101.    Wilson,  Am.  Om.,  II. 
(1810)  26.    Aud.  Orn.  Biog.,  I.  (1832;  248.      lb.,  Birds  Amer.,  IV.  (1842)  190. 
Omismya  colubrit,  Deville.    Ilev.  et.  Mag.  Zool.  (May,  1862)  (habits). 

Debcbiptiom. 

Tail  In  the  male  deeply  forked,  the  feathers  all  narrow  lanccolate-acutc ;  in  tho 
females  lightly  rounded  and  emarginate;  tho  feathers  broader,  though  pointed;  male, 
uniform  metallic-green  above;  a  ruby-red  gorget  with  no  conapicuoua  ruff;  a  white 
collar  on  tbo  throat;  sides  of  body  greenish;  tail  feathers  uniformly  brownish-violet; 
female,  wtthont  the  red  on  tho  throat;  the  tail  is  rounded  and  emarginate,  the 
inner  feathers  shorter  than  the  outer;  the  tail  feathers  banded  with  black,  and 
tbo  outer  tipped  with  white;  no  rufous  or  cinnamon  on  the  tail  in  either  sex. 

Length,  three  and  twenty-five  one-hundredths  inch;  wing,  one  and  sixty  one- 
hundrodths;  tail,  one  and  twenty-five  one-huudredths  inch;  bill,  sixty-five  ono- 
hundredths. 

THIS  beautitui  little  winged  gem  is  distributed  through- 
out New  England  as  a  summer  visitor.  It  arrives 
from  the  south  from  about  tho  15th  to  the  25th  of  May, 
according  to  latitude,  and  usually  in  pairs.  The  first  notice 
that  we  have  of  his  arrival  is  a  humming  sound,  and  now 


— '— ^|MaMaak-l« 


mf*^—- 


112 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


and  then  a  sharp  chirp,  like  that  of  a  large  beetle,  among 
the  earliest  flowers  in  the  garden.  We  look  in  the  direction 
of  the  sound,  and  perceive  our  little  stranger  darting  about, 


and  thrusting  his  bill  and  little  head  into  the  flowers, 
busily  searching  for  the  small  insects  that  inhabit  them, 
and  which  constitute  the  principal  part  of  his  food.    While 
we  are  looking  at  him,  he  suddenly  alights  on  a  twig, 
turns  his  gorgeous  throat  towards  us,  and  scans  us  with 
his  bright  little  black  eyes.    While  lie  is  perched,  he  busies 
himself  in  arranging  his  plumage,  and  cleaning  from  his 
feathers  the  drops  of  dew  that  have  perhaps  fallen  upon 
him,  uttering  occasionally  his  merry  chirp;  presently  his 
mate  appears,  and  alights  by  his  side.    The  little  lovers  (for 
they  are  still  such)  then  indulge  in  mutual  caresses,  and 
apparently  talk  over  with  much  earnestness  their  plans  for 
future  housekeeping.    Woe  to  another  humming-bird,  if  he 
comes  in  sight!  for  our  little  friend  is  not  only  jealous 
of  his  mate,  but  is  very  quarrelsome  also,  and  protects  his 
honor  with  great  courage.     As  he  darts  off"  like  a  bullet  at 
the  intruder,  his  mate  watches  with  no  little  interest  for  the 
results  of  the  battle  that  is  inevitable.    The  two  males  meet 
in  the  air,  and  fierce  is  the  contest ;  their  little  wings  beat 
the  air  with  such  force  that  their  humming  is  h  3ard  at  the 


^.-T^lriSfc-,  ■■■V. ^.WW 't'M^iW^jTpg^'i- ■  - ;:v»iTT-;-i- 


■  *  imijijiiumwwwwiwi 


MH  m^in.  mm'fi'miimrmm 


IH.WHIIIlip 


THE  RUBY-THROATED   HUMMING-BIRD. 


118 


distance  of  several  rods;  up  they  mount,  rushing  against 
and  striking  each  other  with  their  sharp  little  bills,  until 
they  are  both  lost  to  the  sight :  presently  our  acquaintance 
descends  to  the  twig  where  his  mate  is  seated,  and  struts 
before  her  with  a  pride  much  larger  than  his  body,  ap- 
parently anxious  for  her  approval  of  his  courage.  She 
caresses  him ;  and,  after  he  has  adjusted  his  plumage,  off 
they  shoot  for  other  scenes  and  pleasures. 

About  the  first  week  in  June,  the  Humming-bird  com- 
mences building  its  nest :  this  is  composed  of  a  soft  down, 
that  is  taken  from  the  stems  of  some  of  the  ferns ;  it  is 
covered  entirely  with  lichens,  which  are  glued  ou  with  the 
saliva  of  the  bird,  giving  it  the  appearance  of  a  mossy  knot. 
It  is  usually  built  on  the  upper  side  of  a  limb ;  but  I  have 
known  of  cases  of  its  being  built  in  a  forked  twig.  The 
whole  fabric  is  about  an  inch  and  a  half  iu  diameter,  and 
about  that  in  depth  externally ;  it  is  hollowed  about  half  an 
inch,  and  is  three-fourtiis  of  an  inch  in  diameter  internally ; 
it  is  lined  with  soft,  downy  substances  detached  from  flying 
seeds.  The  eggs  are  two  in  number,  white,  and  nearly 
elliptical  in  shape,  being  of  about  equal  size  at  both  ends. 
Length  of  eggs,  about  .45  inch ;  breadtn,  about  .31  inch.  I 
am  inclined  to  think,  that,  in  the  latitude  of  New  England, 
this  bird  raises  only  one  brood  in  the  season ;  but  further 
south  it  undoubtedly  rears  two.  The  period  of  incubation 
is  ten  days. 

On  approaching  the  nest,  the  parent  bird  immediately 
flies  at  the  intruder ;  and  it  was  by  this  means  that  I  have 
been  enabled  to  find  specimens  of  the  nests,  when  I  could 
not  possibly  have  done  so  if  their  locality  liad  not  been 
betrayed  by  the  bird  herself.  I  have  heard  of  young  birds 
being  taken  from  the  nest  when  nearly  fledged,  kept  for 
several  weeks,  and  fed  with  nothing  but  sweetened  water ; 
but  they  always  died  after  a  short  conhnement,  and  I  believe 
that  it  is  impossible  to  keep  this  bird  as  a  pet,  from  the 


114 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


fact  that  its  actual  food  is  insects,  and  it  cannot  live  ou  any 
other. 

Wilson  gives  the  following  facts  in  relation  to  this.  He 
says :  — 

"  The  singularity  of  this  little  bird  has  induced  many  persons  to 
attempt  to  raise  them  from  the  nest,  and  accustom  them  to  the 
cage.  Mr.  Coffer,  of  Fairfax  County,  Va.,  a  gentleman  who  has 
paid  great  attention  to  the  manners  and  peculiarities  of  our  native 
biids,  told  me  that  he  raised  and  kept  two,  for  some  months,  in  a 
cage,  supplying  them  with  honey  dissolved  in  water,  on  which  they 
readily  fed.  As  the  sweetness  of  the  liquid  frequently  brought 
small  flies  and  gnats  about  the  cage  and  cup,  the  birds  amused 
themselves  by  snapping  at  them  on  wing,  and  swallowing  them 
with  eagerness,  so  that  tliesse  insects  formed  no  inconsiderable  part 
of  their  food.  Mr.  Charles  Wilson  Peale,  proprietor  of  the 
Museum,  tells  me  that  he  had  two  young  Humming-birds,  which 
he  raised  from  the  nest.  They  used  to  fly  about  the  room,  and 
would  frequently  perch  on  Mrs.  Peale's  shoulder  to  be  fed.  When 
the  sun  shone  strongly  in  the  chamber,  he  has  observed  them  dart- 
ing after  the  motes  that  floated  in  the  light,  as  Flycatchers  would 
after  flies.  In  the  summer  of  1803,  a  nest  of  young  Humming- 
birds was  brought  me,  that  were  nearly  fit  to  fly.  One  of  them 
actually  flew  out  by  the  window  the  same  evening,  and,  falling 
against  a  wall,  was  killed.  The  other  refused  food,  and  the  next 
morning  I  could  but  just  perceive  that  it  had  life.  A  lady  in  the 
house  undertook  to  be  its  nurse,  placed  it  in  her  bosom,  and,  as  it 
began  to  revive,  dissolved  a  little  sugar  in  her  mouth,  into  which 
she  thrust  its  bill,  and  it  sucked  with  great  avidity.  In  this  man- 
ner, it  was  brought  up  until  fit  for  the  cage.  I  kept  it  upwards 
of  three  months,  supplied  it  with  loaf  sugar  dissolved  in  water, 
which  it  preferred  to  honey  and  water,  gave  it  fresh  flowers  every 
morning  sprinkled  with  the  liquid,  and  surrounded  the  space  in 
which  I  kept  it  with  gauze,  that  it  might  not  injure  itself.  It 
appeared  gay,  active,  and  full  of  spirit,  hovering  from  flower  to 
flower  as  if  in  its  native  wilds ;  and  always  expressed,  by  its 
motions  and  chirping,  great  pleasure  at  seeing  ft'esh  flowers  intro- 
duced to  its  cage.  Numbers  of  people  visited  it  from  motives  of 
cariosity;  and  I  took  every  precaution  to  preserve  it,  if  possible, 


t 


i^ 


I 


i 


I 


THE   BUBV-THUOATED   HUMMING-BIRD. 


115 


through  the  winter.  Unfortunately,  however,  by  acme  means  it 
got  at  large ;  and,  flying  about  the  room,  so  injured  itself  that  it 
soon  after  died. 

"  This  little  bird  is  extremely  susceptible  of  cold  ;  and,  if  long 
deprived  of  the  animating  influence  of  the  sunbeams,  droops,  and 
soon  dies.  A  very  beautiful  male  was  brought  me  this  season 
(1809),  which  I  put  into  a  wire  cage,  and  placed  in  a  retired, 
shaded  part  of  the  room.  After  fluttering  about  for  some  time,  the 
weather  being  uncommonly  cool,  it  clung  by  the  wires,  and  hung  in 
a  seemingly  torpid  state  :^or  a  whole  forenoon.  No  motion  what- 
ever of  the  lungs  could  be  perceived,  on  the  closest  inspection, 
though,  at  other  times,  this  is  remarkably  observable ;  the  eyes 
were  shut;  and,  when  touched  by  the  finger,  it  gave  no  signs 
of  life  or  motion.  I  carried  it  out  to  the  open  air,  and  placed  it 
directly  in  the  rays  of  the  sun,  in  a  sheltered  p'tvation.  In  a  few 
seconds,  respiration  became  very  apparent;  the  bird  breathed 
faster  and  faster,  opened  its  eyes,  and  began  to  look  about,  with  as 
much  seeming  vivacity  as  ever.  After  it  had  completely  recov- 
ered, I  restored  it  to  liberty ;  and  it  flew  off  to  the  withered  top 
of  a  pear-tree,  where  it  sat  for  some  time  dressing  its  disordered 
plumage,  and  then  shot  off  like  a  meteor." 

About  the  latter  part  of  August,  or  perhaps  by  the  8th  or 
10th  of  September,  the  Humming-bird  takes  his  departure 
for  the  south.  The  young  birds  travel  with  their  parents, 
or,  at  any  rate,  leave  this  section  with  them ;  for  I  have 
invariably  noticed  that  these  little  groups  were  together  up 
to  the  time  when  they  left.  The  parents  return  to  the  same 
breeding-place  in  the  succeeding  year;  and  I  have  known  of 
a  pair  breeding  on  the  same  apple-tree  for  three  successive 
seasons. 


i 


Mi»H  irili^  f^^jj^^^aag^t.* 


«w5>*^a<»r«>"- 


116  ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


Family  CYPSELID^.    Thk  Swifts. 

Bill  very  small,  without  notch,  triangular,  much  broader  than  high,  the  culmen 
not  one-sixth  the  gape;  anterior  toes  cleft  to  the  base,  each  with  tliree  joints  (in  the 
typical  species),  and  covered  with  skin,  the  middle  claw  without  any  serrations, 
the  lateral  toes  nearly  equal  to  the  middle;  bill  without  bristles,  but  with  minute 
feathers  extending  along  the  under  margin  of  the  nostrils;  nostrils  elongated,  supe- 
rior, and  very  close  together;  plumage  compact;  primaries  ten,  elongated,  falcate. 


CH^TURA,  Stephens. 

Chixtura,  Stephens.  Shaw's  Gen.  Zool.  Birds,  XIII.  (1826)  76  (typo  C. 
pdatgia). 

Tail  very  short,  scarcely  more  than  two-fifths  the  wings,  slightly  rounded,  the 
shafts  stiffened  and  extending  some  distance  beyond  the  feathers  in  a  rigid  spine; 
first  primary  longest;  legs  covered  by  a  naked  skin,  without  Bcutellw  or  feathers; 
tarsus  longer  than  middle  toe ;  lateral  toes  equal,  nearly  as  long  as  the  middle ;  hind 
toe  scarcely  versatile,  or  quite  posterior,  with  the  claw,  less  than  the  middle  anterior 
without  it;  toes  slender,  claws  moderate;  fieathers  of  the  base  of  the  bill  not  extend- 
ing beyond  the  beginning  of  the  nostrils. 


CHSTUBA  PEIiASQIA.  — StepAefM. 
^  The  Chimney  Swallow.o. 

Syst.  Nat.  I.  (1766)  845. 


Wils.  Am.  Om.  V. 


Birundo  pelasgia,  Linneeus 
(1812)  48. 

Cyptelus  pelaigia,  Audubon.    Om.  Biog.  H.  (1884)  329;  V.  419. 
Chastura  pelaigia,  Stephens.    Shaw's  Gen.  Zool.  Birds,  XIII.  (1826)  76. 

Description. 

Tail  slightly  rounded;  of  a  sooty-brown  all  over,  except  on  the  throat,  which 
becomes  considerably  lighter  from  the  breast  to  the  bill;  above  with  a  greenish 
tinge;  the  rump  a  little  paler. 

Length,  five  and  a  quarter  inches;  wing,  five  ten  one-hundredths;  tali,  two  fifteen 
one-hundredths. 

THIS  well-known  bird  is  a  common  summer  inhabitant 
..f  New  England.  It  arrives  in  great  numbers  from 
the  South,  about  the  Ist  to  the  10th  of  May.  Immediately 
on  arriving,  the  birds  pair,  and  commence  building.  The 
nest  is  usually  constructed  in  an  unused  flue  of  a  chimney ; 
but,  before  the  country  was  settled,  they  bred,  and  I  have  no 


■^t?  I.:  ■|ii|iif.MipBPJi 


.0^^ 


THE   CHIMNEY   SWALLOW. 


m 


doubt  that  great  ntimbers  of  them  in  thinly  settled  districts 
still  breed  in  hollow  trees.  The  nest  is  composed  of  twigs, 
which  are  glued  together  and  to  the  side  of  the  chimney 
with  the  saliva  of  the  bird.  It  is  very  rarely  lined  with  a 
few  feathers.  The  strength  of  these  structures  is  wonderful : 
and  they  are  so  durable  that  I  have  known  of  instances 
of  their  remaining  in  the  chimney  during  three  seasons. 
Usually,  the  bird  displays  great  sagacity  in  the  choice  of  a 
location  for  a  nest,  in  securing  protection  from  storms  and 
from  the  attacks  of  animals ;  but  occasionally  the  nest  is 
built  in  a  chimney,  open  at  the  top  sufficiently  wide  to 
permit  the  rain  to  trickle  down  the  sides :  the  result  is,  that 
the  moisture  softens  the  glue  by  which  the  nest  is  attached 
to  the  chimney,  and  it  is,  with  its  living  contents,  precipi- 
tated to  the  bottom.  Again,  if  the  nest  is  built  too  low  in 
the  chimney,  the  young  or  eggs  furnish  agreeable  food  for 
rats,  which,  unfortunately,  are  sometimes  found  in  dwelling- 
houses  in  the  country  in  uncomfortable  numbers.  The  eggs 
are  generally  four  or  five  in  number,  pure-white  in  color, 
rather  long  in  shape.  Dimensions  of  five  eggs,  in  a  nest 
collected  in  Upton,  Me. :  .84  by  .44  inch,  .81  by  .46  iuch, 
.80  by  .46  inch,  .78  by  .48  inch,  .76  by  .61  inch. 

This  species  is  somewhat  nocturnal  in  its  habits.  From 
earliest  dawn  until  seven  or  eight  in  the  morning,  it  is  busy 
in  the  pursuit  of  insects :  it  then  retires  to  its  roosting-places 
in  the  chimneys,  and  is  seldom  seen  until  late  in  the  after- 
noon. Prom  early  twilight  until  late  in  the  night,  it  is  again 
actively  employed ;  and,  having  heard  its  notes,  as  it  sped 
through  the  air,  often  as  late  as  midnight,  I  have  no  doubt 
that,  in  pleasant  weather,  it  is  busy  through  the  whole 
night. 

In  descending  the  chimneys  where  their  young  are,  the 
birds  fly  rapidly  until  they  are  immediately  over  them,  when, 
partially  closing  their  wings,  they  drop  suddenly,  and  with 
apparent  ease,  down  the  flue. 

In  ascending,  the  noise  of  their  wings  in  the  chimney  is 


Jtim 


118 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


like  that  of  distant  thunder.    The  flight  of  these  hirds  is 
very  rapid,  surpassing,  I  think,  that  of  any  other  species: 
it  is  80  peculiar,  — the  long  wings  vibrating  in  short,  quick, 
energetic  strokes,  —  that  it  furnishes  a  ready  means  of  dia-    . 
tinguishing  it,  from  all  other  species,  at  a  great  height. 

About  sunset,  the  great  multitudes  of  these  birds  are  out, 
and  the  numbers  of  insects  they  destroy  must  be  immense. 
Everywhere  they  may  be  seen :  away  up  in  the  blue  sky,  as 
far  as  the  eye  can  reach,  they  are  coursing  in  wide-extended 
circles,  chasing  each  other  in  sport,  and  even  caressing  and 
feeding  their  mates  while  on  the  wing ;  a  little  lower,  they 
are  speeding  over  the  tops  of  the  trees,  gleaning  the  insects 
that  have  just  left  the  foliage ;  over  the  surface  of  the  lake 
or  river  they  fly  so  low,  in  the  pursuit  of  aquatic  insects, 
that  their  wings  often  touch  the  water ;  everywhere  they 
are  busy.     Truly,  they  are  deserving  of  much  better  treat- 
ment than  they  too  often  receive  at  the  hands  of  the  farmer, 
to  whom  they  are  his  best  friends ;  yet  it  is  a  fact,  that,  in 
a  great  many  sections,  they  are  driven  from  the  chimneys 
of  the  farm-houses,  and  even  destroyed,  at  every  oppor- 

tunity. 

About  the  last  of  August,  the  Chimney  Swallow,  in  large 
scattered  flocks,  leaves  for  the  South,  and  spends  the  winter 
in  Honduras  and  the  West  Indies.  On  returning  in  the 
spring,  the  same  pair  occupies  the  chimney  used  in  the  pre- 
vious bcason,  as  has  been  proved  by  actual  observation. 


ni 


as 


THE   WHIPPOOUWILL. 


119 


Family  CAPBIMULGIDiE.    The  Goat-suckeks. 

Suh-Family  Caprimulqin^. 

Bill  very  nhort,  triangular,  the  culmcn  less  than  one-sixth  the  gape;  the  anterior 
toc»  united  at  the  base  by  a  membrane;  the  inner  anterior  toe  with  three  joints,  the 
others  with  four,  all  with  distinct  scutellai  above;  the  too  mueh  elongated,  its  middle 
claw  pectinated  on  the  inner  edge;  hind  toe  dire.-ted  a  little  more  than  half  for- 
wanls;  tarsi  partly  feathered  superiorly ;  the  bill  more  or  less  bristled,  the  nostrils 
separated,  rather  nearer  the  commissure  than  the  culmen;  plumage  soft,  lax,  and 
owl-like;  primary  quills,  ten;  secondaries,  eleven  or  twelve. 

,  ANTKOSTOMUS,  Gould. 

AntrosUmv*,  GoULt).    Icones  Avium  (1838),  Agassiz. 

Bill  remarkebly  small,  with  tubular  nostrils,  and  the  gape  with  long,  stiff,  some- 
times pectinated,  bristles;  wings  long,  somewhat  rounded,  second  quill  longest,  the 
primaries  eraarginated ;  tail  rounded;  plumage  loose  and  soft. 

ANTR0ST0MU3  VOCIFEEUS.  —  Bonaparte. 
The  Wbippoorwill. 
Caprimrdgxa  vocifenu.  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  V.  (1812)  71;  Aud.  Orn.  Biog.,  I. 
(1882)443;  V.  405. 

Antrostomut  vocifenu,  Bonaparte.    List,  1838. 

Description. 

Bristles  without  !«tsral  filaments;  wing  about  six  and  a  half  inches  long;  top  of 
the  head  ashy-brown,  longitudinally  streaked  with  black;  terminal  half  of  the  tail 
feathers  (except  the  four  central)  dirty-white  on  both  outer  and  inner  webs ;  iris  dark- 
hazel.    Female,  without  white  on  the  tail. 

Length,  ten  inches;  wing,  six  and  a  half. 

THIS  familiar  species  is  a  summer  inhabitant  of  New 
England :  it  arrives  from  the  South  about  the  second 
week  in  May.  Its  habits  are  not  well  known,  as  it  is  not  a 
very  common  species,  and  it  inhabits  the  most  secluded  spots 
in  the  deep  woods ;  but  its  song  is  well  known  to  all,  as  are 
its  nocturnal  wanderings  in  search  for  insect  food.  This 
bird,  as  also  the  Night-hawk,  is,  to  the  farmer,  one  of  the 
most  valuable  among  the  feathered  tribes :  its  food  consists 
almost  entirely  of  night-flying  Lepidoptera,  and  the  number 
of  these  insects  destroyed  is  immense. 


MMH 


t¥. 


ORNITHOLOGY    AND   OOLOGY. 

The  peculiar  song  of  this  bird  is  hoard  at  early  eve,  and 
until  late  into  the  night,  during  the  mating  and  part  of  tlie 
breeding  seasons.  It  is  not  uttered  in  tlio  depths  of  the  wil- 
derness alone ;  but  the  bird,  perching  on  the  well-sweep,  on 
the  eaves  of  a  low  shed,  or  oven  on  the  door-sill  of  the  farm- 
er's house,  pours  out  its  melancholy  strain.  The  descrij)- 
tion,  by  Alexander  Wilson,  of  the  habits  of  this  bird,  is  so 
accu'rate  and  comprehensive,  that  I  will  not  presume  to 
attempt  another.     He  says:  — 

"The  notes  seem  pretty  plainly  to  articulate  the  words  which 
have  been  generally  applied  to  them,  whip-poor-will,  the  first  and 
last  syllables  being  uttered  with  great  emphasis,  and  die  whole  m 
about  a  second  to  each  repetition ;  but,  when  two  or  more  males 
meet,  their  whip-poor-will  altercations  become  much  more  rapid 
and  incessant,  as  if  each  were  straining  to  overpower  or  silence  the 
other.     When  near,  you  often  hear  an  introductory  cluck  between 
the  notes.     At  these  times.  n«  well  as  at  almost  all  others,  they  fly 
low,  not  more  than  a  few  feet  from  the  surface,  skimmixig  about  the 
house  and  before  the  door,  alighting  on  the  wood-pile,  or  settling  on 
the  roof.     Towards  midnight,  they  generally  become  silent,  unless 
in  clear  moonlight,  when  they  are  heard,  with  little  intermission, 
till  morning.      If  there  be  a  creek  near,  with  high,  precipitous, 
bushy  banks,  they  are  sure  to  be  found  in  such  situations.     During 
the  day,  they  sit  in  the  most  retired,  solitary,  and  deep-shaded  parts 
of  the  woods,  generally  on  high  ground,  where  they  repose  in 
silence.     When  disturbed,  they  rise  within  a  few  feet,  sail  low  and 
slowly  through  the  woods  for  thirty  or  forty  yards,  and  generally 
settle  on  a  low  branch  or  on  the  ground.     Their  sight  appears 
deficient  dui-.T  the  day,  as,  like  owls,  they  seem  then  to  want  that 
vivacity  for  which  they  are  distinguished  in  the  morning  and  even- 
ing  twilight.    They  are  rarely  shot  at  or  molested ;  and,  from  being 
thus  transiently  seen  in  the  obscurity  of  dusk,  or  in  the  deep  um- 
brage of  the  woods,  no  wonder  their  particular  markings  of  plumage 
should  be  so  little  known,  or  that  they  should  be  confounded  with 
the  Night-hawk,  whom,  in  general  appearance,  they  so  much  re- 
semble.    The  female  begins  to  lay  about  the  second  week  in  IMay, 
selecting,  for  this  purpose,  the  most  unfrequented  part  of  the  wood, 


li: 


ijl  S' W^i^WS*^'^*'"™'"'"^ 


TOE  WHIPPOORWILL. 


121 


often  where  some  brush,  old  logs,  heaps  of  leaves,  &c.,  had  been 
lying,  and  always  on  a  dry  situation." 

The  Whippoorwill  constructs  no  ucst,  but  lays  its  eggs, 
which  uro  two  in  number,  in  a  slight  liullow  which  it 
scratches  in  the  earth,  usually  near  a  rock,  or  fallen  trunk 
of  a  tree.  These  eggs  are  of  an  elliptical  form,  being  as 
large  at  one  end  as  at  the  other ;  their  ground-color  is  a 
delicate  creamy-whito,  with  blotches,  lines,  and  spots  of 
different  shades  of  lightrbrown  and  lavender :  taken  alto- 
gether, it  is  one  of  the  handsow.cjst  eggs  found  in  New  Eng- 
land. The  length  of  several  specimens  before  me  varies 
from  1.21  to  2.27  inches,  breadth  from  .75  to  .79  inch.  The 
bird  commences  laying  about  the  last  week  in  May,  and  the 
period  of  incubation  is  fourteen  days. 

The  young  are  soon  able  to  walk,  and  in  a  very  few  days 
can  run  with  considerable  speed ;  and  they  hide  with  such 
adroitness  that  it  is  a  work  of  no  little  diihculty  to  capture 
them.  The  female,  when  her  young  are  discovered,  imme- 
diately throws  herself  before  the  intruder,  counterfeiting 
lameness  so  well,  that,  unless  ho  is  well  acquainted  with 
the  habits  of  birds,  he  will  quickly  be  misled  into  following 
her.  As  soon  as  the  young  birds  are  able  to  shift  for  them- 
selves, they  are  turned  adrift  by  their  parents,  and  are  seen 
only  singly,  or  at  most  in  pairs,  during  the  remainder  of 
their  stay.  By  the  latter  part  of  August,  or  seldom  later 
than  the  10th  of  September,  all  of  them  depart  for  the 
South,  the  old  males  remaining  a  few  days  later ;  uttering, 
occasionally,  their  song,  but  always  in  the  woods,  or  in 
localities  far  removed  from  human  habitation. 

CHOBDEILES,  Swainson. 

SwAiNSON.    Fauna  Bor.  Amer.  (1831)  496. 

Bill  very  small,  the  gapo  with  very  short,  feeble  bristles;  wings  very  long  and 
pointed,  with  the  tirst  quill  nearly  or  quite  equal  to  the  second,  and  the  primaries  not 
emarginated  on  the  inner  edge;  taU  long,  slighUy  forked  in  the  Nortb-Ameiican 
gpecies;  plumage  rather  compact. 


^-^itms^mMmssi 


III iMin  I  "naBSsaaB^si-. 


iiiWPii 


122 


OBNITHOLOQY    AND   OOLOGY. 


CH0BDEILB8  POPETUE.  —  Baird. 

The  Sight-hawk;  Bull  Bat.— 

Coprimu/ffia  popttue,  Vicillot.    Ols.  Am.  Sept.,  I.  (1807)  66. 
Caprimulyiu  Amtricaniu,  Wilson    ''.  (1812)  61. 
Caprimuli/ui  rmjiniamu.    Aud.  Orn.  Uiog.,  II.  (1834)  278. 

DE8CRIPTI0X< 

Male,  above  grecnlsh-black,  with  but  little  mottling  on  the  head  an.l  back;  wing 
coverts  varied  with  Rrayish,  scapular,  with  yelU,»  ish-rufous;  a  nuchal  band  of  In. 
gray  mottling,  behind  which  Is  another  coarser  one  of  rufous  spots;  a  white 
V-shaped  mark  on  the  throati  behind  thi.  a  collar  of  pale-rufous  blotches,  and 
another  on  the  breast  of  grayish  mottling;  under  parts  banded  transversely  w.th 
dull-yellowish  or  redu,.h-white  and  brown;  wing  quills  quite  uniformly  brown ;  the 
five  outer  primaries  wi,.  a  white  blotch  midway  between  the  tip  and  carpal 
joint,  not  extending  on  the  outer  web  of  the  outer  quill ;  tail  with  a  termmal  white 

^'Temale,  without  the  caudal  white  patch,  the  white  of  the  throat  mixed  with 

""^iih  of  male,  nine  and  fifty  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  eight  and  twenty 
one-hundredths  inches. 

This  bird  is  ranch  more  abundantly  distributed  through- 
out New  England  than  the  preceding;  and  its  habits  are, 
consequently,  better  known.     It  arrives   from  the   south 
about  the  10th  of  May.     At  this  time,  great  numbers  may 
bo  observed,  at  narly  twilight,  coursing  through  the  air  in 
different  directions,  sometimes  at  a  great  height,  somet   aos 
just  above  the  trees  in  the  country,  or  houses  in  the  city; 
occasionally,  very  near  the  earth  or  water,  or,  when  near 
the  seacoast,  but  just  above  the  marshes,  where  they  destroy 
great  numbers  of  insects.    Their  flight  is  very  rapid,  their 
long  wings  giving  quick,  powerful  sweeps;  and,  as  they  dart 
about  in  many  eccentric  movementt,  busily  gleaning  their 
food,  they  utter,  at  of(>repeated  intervals,  their  short  note 
or  8^eak,  which  almost  exactly  resembles  that  of  the  Com- 
mon Snipe. 

About  the  middle  of  May,  or  by  the  20th  of  that  month, 
in  Maine,  the  male  commences  his  attentions  to  the  female. 
His  movements  at  this  time  are  interesting,  and,  firoi  tlieir 
common  occurrence,  familiar  to  aU  who  live  in  the  <    antry. 


"^fi*^- 


3a35ai*Hiaw»?«*ww»*w*' 


L. 


THE  NIGHT-HAWK. 


128 


At  oarly  evening,  and  in  cloudy  weather  throughout  tlie 
greater  part  of  the  day,  lie  ascends  into  the  air ;  and  when 
he  has  attained  a  couHideialilo  height,  partially  closing  his 
wings,  he  drops  with  groat  velocity  through  the  distance  of 
sevonty-five  or  one  hundred  foot,  somctinies  nearly  to  the 
earth.    The  sound  made  hy  the  air  passing  through  tlio  wing 
quills  is  so  loud  that  I  Imvo  often  heard  it  at  certainly  the 
distance  of  half  a  mile:  it  rescmMos.  as  Nnttall  truly  says, 
the  sound  produced  by  blowing  into  the  bung-hole  of  an 
empty  hogshead.    This  act  is  often  repeated,  the  bird  darting 
about  at  the  same  time  in  every  direction,  and  uttering  Ins 
sharp  squeak.     Wilson  was  of  the  opinion,  that  this  habit  of 
the  Night-hawk  was  confined  to  the  period  of  incubatioii; 
the  male  acting  in  this  manner,  as  he  thought,  to  intimidate 
any  person  from  approaching  the  nest.     I  have  had  abun- 
dant opportunities  for  observing  the  bird  in  all  times  of  the 
summer,  and  during  its  stay  with  us;  and  I  should  unhesi- 
tatingly affirm,  that,  from  the  time  of  early  courtship,  untU 
the  young  are  hatched,  if  not  after,  the  male  acts  in  this 

manner. 

This  species  constructs  no  nest,  but  lays  its  eggs  on  the 
bare  ground  in  a  slight  hollow  scratched  by  the  female,  or 
often  on  a  bare  rock.     I  have  found  numbers  of  these  eggs, 
particularly  in  the  northern  parts  of  Maine,  whore,  in  walk- 
ing over  a  pasture  or  rocky  field,  I  have  flushed,  sometimes 
a  bird  in  every  ten  rods.     I  remember  a  ledge  of  rocks 
back  of  the  settlement  known  as  Wilson's   Mills,  which 
seemed  a  favorite  breeding-place  for  these  birds ;  and,  in  the 
space  of  every  four  or  ftve  rods,  a  female  was  sitting  on  her 
eggs.     The  eggs  arc;  two  in  number,  elliptical  in  shape,  of 
a  dirty-whito   color,  which   is   covered  with  fine  dottings 
of  different  shades  of  brown,  with  obscure  markings  of 
slate-color,  and  some  spots  of  lavender.     Length  from  1.28 
to  1.25  inch  ;  breadth,  from  .82  to  .85  inch.     A  great  num- 
ber of  specimens  from  dilTerent  sections  do  not  exhibit  an 
appreciable  variation  from  these  dimensions.    In  the  south- 


II 


124 


OBNITHOLOQY  AND   OOLOGY. 


cm  dietricts,  it  lays  about  the  20th  of  May  ;  in  tho  northern, 
abont  thii  K'th  of  Juno. 

Tho  nialo  assists  tlio  fcnmlo  in  incubatir.g,  as  I  iiave  wit- 
nossed  majiy  times.  Wlion  perched  by  lior  on  a  tree  or 
fence-rail,  during  tlie  liglit  of  mid-day,  he  always  sits  alotiff 
tho  limb  or  rail,  instead  of  across  it  —  a  peculiarity  which  is 
also  noticeable  in  the  Whippoorwill.  Some  authors,  in  speak- 
ing of  this  fact,  explain  it  by  noticing  the  comparatively 
small  size  of  tho  feet,  and  apparent  weakness  of  the  logs. 
I  think  this  can  hardly  be  a  sufficient  cause ;  for  both  these 
birds,  while  on  the  ground,  can  run  with  considerable  speed, 
and,  if  captured,  can  not  only  porch  across  the  finger  of  a 
hand  or  the  back  of  a  chair,  as  I  have  often  proved,  but  can 
rest  on  one  foot,  drawing  tho  other  up  into  the  feathers 
of  the  belly,  like  other  l)ird8. 

About  tho  20th  of  August,  after  tho  young  have  become 
able  to  provide  for  themselves,  all  the  families  in  a  neigh- 
borhood assemble  in  a  large,  scattered  flock;  and,  after 
having  become  completely  recruited  from  the  labors  of  incu- 
bation, they  all  leave  for  the  south. 


THE   BELTED   RfNOFISIlEIl. 


126 


rn, 


vit- 
or 
onff 
1  iB 
lak- 
oly 

!gH. 

eso 
!cd, 
•f  a 
can 
lera 

)mo 
igh- 
fter 
icu- 


SUB-OllDER  CLAMATORES.    ScnEAMEiis. 


Familt  ALCEDINIDJE.     The  Kinofisiikrs. 

Head  large  t  bill  lonjf,  dtronff,  iitr«l(jht,  and  «ul>-pyramldal,  unually  lonjfer  than 
(he  head;  tongue  very  small;  wirin«  sliort;  Icrb  pnmll,  tlie  oilier  and  middle  tOM 
united  to  tholr  middle;  toeii  with  the  iimial  mimhcr  of  joints  ("2,  3,  4,  B). 

*  The  gape  of  the  bill  in  the  KinRtlnlierH  i«  larRc,  reaching  to  l)enenth  the  cyo«t 
the  tliird  primary  is  generally  longent,  the  (Irst  decidedly  nhorter;  the  necondarie* 
varj-from  twelve  to  fifteen  in  numlwr,  all  nearly  equal ;  the  necondaries  cover  at 
least  three-(|uartcr«  of  the  wing;  the  tail  is  short,  the  feathers  twelve  in  number, 
they  arc  ratlier  narrow,  the  outer  usually  shorter;  the  lower  part  of  the  tibia  is  hare, 
lenving  the  joint  and  the  tarsus  uncovered;  the  tarsus  is  covered  anteriorly  with 
plates,  behind,  it  is  shagrcen-likc  or  granulated;  the  hind  toe  is  connected  with  the 
inner,  bo  as  to  form  with  it  and  the  others  a  regular  sole,  which  extends  unbroken 
beneath  the  middle  and  outer  as  far  as  the  latter  are  united;  the  inner  toe  is  much 
shorter  than  the  outer;  the  claw»  are  sharp,  the  middle  expanded  on  its  inner  edge, 
but  not  pectinated. 

CERYLE,  BoiB. 

Cenjle,  BoiE,  Isis  (1828)  818  (type  C.  rtuKt). 

Bill  long,  straight,  and  strong,  the  culmcn  slightly  advancing  on  the  forehead, 
»nd  sloping  to  the  acute  tip;  the  sides  much  compressed;  the  lateral  margins  rather 
dilated  at  the  base,  and  straight  to  the  tip;  the  gonys  long  and  ascending;  tall 
rather  long  and  broad;  tarsi  short  and  stout. 

CEBTLE  ALCTON.  —  5ot«. 
y  The  Belted  Kingfisher. — 
Alcedo  aleyon,  Urnimxn.     Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1766)  180.     Wilson,  Am.  Om.,  IH. 
(1811 )  69.     Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  I.  ( 1831 )  394. 
Ceryle  alct/on,  Boie.    Isis,  (1828)  816. 

DESCRimoir. 

Head  with  a  long  crest;  above  blue,  without  metallic  lustre;  beneath,  with  a  con- 
cealed band  across  the  occiput,  and  a  spot  anterior  to  the  eye,  pure-white;  a  band 
across  the  breast,  and  tha  sides  of  the  body  under  the  wings,  like  the  back;  prima- 
ries white  on  the  basal  half,  the  terminal  unspotted;  tail  with  transverse  bands  and 
spots  of  white. 

Young,  with  the  sides  of  body  and  a  transverse  band  across  the  belly  below  the 
pectoral  one,  light-chestnut;  the  pectoral  band  more  or  less  tinged  with  the  same 

Length  of  adult,  about  twelve  and  three-quarters  inches;  wing,  six  or  more. 

Hob.  — The  entire  continent  of  North  America. 


126 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


THIS  species  is  a  very  common  summer  inhabitant  of  all 
the  New-England  States.  It  arrives  from  the  soxith 
about  the  1st  of  April,  often  earlier,  particularly  in  early 
springs :  indeed,  Mr.  Verrill  says  they  are  sometimes  seen 
in  Maine  in  winter,  and  they  are  often  found  in  the  southern 
districts  of  these  States  in  this  season.  The  birds,  on  arriv- 
ing, commence  pairing ;  and  they  soon  begin  excavating  in  a 
sand-bank  a  long,  winding  hole  of  about  three  inches  and 
a  half  in  diameter  at  the  entrance,  and  gradually  larger  to 
the  end,  at  which  the  nest,  composed  of  grasses,  leaves,  and 
feathers,  is  built, — or  laid,  which  would  perhaps  be  the  better 
term.  This  hole  is  sometimes  as  much  as  six  or  eight  feet, 
usually,  from  four  to  six,  in  length.  The  female  deposits  in 
this  nest  six  eggs  usually :  these  are  of  a  clear-white  color, 
and  of  a  nearly  spherical  shape,  being  from  1.35  to  1.42 
inch  in  length,  by  from  1.05  to  1.08  inch  in  breadth.  I  am 
aware  that  these  measurements  exceed  any  heretofore  given ; 
but  they  are  accurately  taken  from  a  large  number  of  speci- 
mens in  my  collection.  Dr.  Brewer  gives  the  dimensions 
as  averaging  1^^  in  length  by  1^  in  breadth.  The  period 
of  incubation  is  stated  by  Audubon  and  other  ornithologists 
to  be  sixteen  days. 

The  habits  of  this  bird  are  so  well  known  that  any 
description  here  is  almost  superfluous.  Its  food,  as  its 
name  implies,  consists  almost  entirely  of  fish,  which  he 
obtains  by  diving  into  the  water,  and  seizing  with  his  bill. 
"When  passing  over  a  sheet  of  water,  he  attentively  scans 
the  surface  beneath  him:  if  he  observes  a  small  fish,  he 
pauses  in  his  flight,  and  remains  over  it  a  few  seconds, 
maintaining  his  position  by  short,  quick  vibrations  of  his 
wings.  If  the  fish  is  sufficiet"+'"  near  the  surface,  he  sud- 
denly dives  at  it,  and,  plunging  into  the  water,  seizes  it,  and 
bears  it  off  to  some  rock  or  post,  where  he  can  eat  it  at  his 
leisure.  The  note  of  the  Kingfisher  is  a  loud,  harsh  cry, 
similar  to  the  sound  of  a  watchman's  rattle:  it  is  easily 
heard  above  the  rushing  of  the  waters  at  a  dam  or  other 


THE   BELTED   KINGFISHER. 


127 


waterfall,  and,  when  heard  in  such  a  locality,  is  not -disagree- 
abie.  When  perched  on  a  limb  overhanging  the  water,  he 
frequently  jets  his  tail  in  the  manner  of  the  Pewee,  and 
often  descends  from  such  a  perch  and  seizes  a  frog  or  a  fish ; 
and  I  once  shot  one  that  had  just  seized  a  meadow  mouse 
(arvicola)  in  this  manaer.  The  young  usually  remain  in 
the  hole  in  the  bank  until  they  are  about  fledged.  I  am 
inclined  to  think,  that  usually  they  return  to  these  holes  at 
night  and  in  stormy  weatlier,  as  I  have  frequently  seen 
them  about  their  nests  long  after  they  were  fledged,  and 
have  even  seen  them  passing  into  them  at  the  close  of  the 
day.  In  migrating,  the  young  leave  their  parents,  and 
these  even  separate,  and  pursue  their  journey  alone ;  and  it 
is  a  case  of  rare  occurrence  that  two  are  seen  together 
after  the  latter  part  of  August. 


i   ! 


€^^ 


128 


OBNITHOLOG'f  AND   OOLOOY. 


Family  COLOPTERID^.    The  Flycatchers. 
Sub-Family  TYRANNiNiE. —  Tyrant  Flycatchers. 

Bill  broader  than  high  at  the  base,  much  depressed,  more  or  less  triangular;  cul- 
men  nearly  as  long  as  the  head,  or  shortur,  straight  to  near  the  tip,  then  suddenly 
bent  down  into  a  conspicuous  hook,  with  a  notch  behind  it;  tip  of  lower  jaw  also 
notched;  commissure  straight  to  near  the  notch;  gonys  slightly  convex;  nostrils 
oval  or  rounded  in  the  anterior  extremity  of  the  nasal  groove,  and  more  or  less 
concealed  by  long  bristles  which  extend  from  the  posterior  angle  of  the  jaw8  along 
the  base  of  thi  bill,  becoming  smaller,  but  reaching  nearly  to  the  median  line  of  the 
forehead;  thetd  bristles  with  lateral  branches  at  the  base;  similar  bristles  mixed  in 
the  loral  feathers  and  margining  the  chin ;  tarsi  short,  generally  less  than  the  middle 
toe,  completely  enveloped  by  a  series  of  large  scales  which  meet  near  the  posterior 
edge  of  the  inner  side,  and  are  separated  either  by  naked  skin  or  by  a  row  of  small 
scales.  Sometimes  a  second  series  of  rather  large  plates  is  seen  on  the  posterior 
face  of  the  tarsus;  these,  however,  usually  on  the  upper  extremity  only;  basal  joint 
of  middle  toe  united  almost  throughout  to  that  of  the  outer  toe,  but  more  than  half 
free  on  the  inner  side;  outer  lateral  toe  rather  the  longer;  wings  and  tail  variable, 
first  quill  always  more  than  three-fourths  the  second;  the  outer  primaries  sometimes 
attenuated  near  the  tip. 

TVRANNUS,  CuviBB. 

Tyrannus,  Cuvikr,  Lemons  Anat.  Comp.,  1799-1800  (Agassiz). 

Tail  nearly  even,  or  moderately  forked,  rather  shorter  than  the  wings;  the 
feathers  broad,  and  widening  somewhat  at  the  ends;  wings  long  and  pointed; 
the  outer  primaries  rather  abruptly  attenuated  near  the  end,  the  attenuated  portion 
not  linear,  however;  head  with  a  concealed  patch  of  red  on  the  crown. 


TTEANKDS  CABOLIHENSIS.  -  JBaini. 


^  King-bird ;  Bee  Martin.— 

Lantus  tyranmis,  Linnaeus.  3yst.  Nat.,  I.  (1766)  136.  This  belongs  to  the  Cuban 
T.  matutinus,  according  to  Bonaparte. 

Muscicapa  tijranntis  (Brisson?),  Wilson.  Am.  Om.,  I.  (1808)  68.  Aud.  Om. 
Biog.,  L  (1832)  403;  V.  (1839)  420.    lb.,  Birds  Amer.,  L  (1840)  204. 

Descbiption. 

Two,  sometimes  three,  outer  primaries  abruptly  attenuated  at  the  end ;  second 

quill  longest,  third  little  shorter,  first  rather  longer  than  fourth,  or  nearly  equal; 

tail  slightly  rvyunded,  above  dark  bluish-aah;   the  top  and  sides  of  the  head  to 

beneath  the  eyes  bluish-black;  a  concealed  crest  on  the  crown,  vermilion  in  the 


MMIMIi 


Mi 


mmm 


THE   KING-BIRD. 


129 


centre,  wfiite  behind,  and  before  partially  mixed  with  orange;  lower  parts  pure- 
white,  tinged  with  pale  bluiah-ash  on  the  sides  of  the  throat  and  across  the  breast; 
sides  of  the  breast  nnd  under  the  wings  similar  to,  but  rather  lighter  than,  the  back; 
axillaries  pale  grayish-brown  tipped  with  lighter;  the  wings  dark-brown,  darkest 
towards  the  ends  of  the  quills;  the  greater  coverts  and  quills  edged  with  white, 
most  80  on  the  tertials;  the  lesser  coverts  edged  with  paler;  upper  tail  coverts 
and  upper  surface  of  the  tail  glossy-black,  the  latter  very  dark  brown  beneath; 
all  the'  feathers  tipped,  nnd  the  exterior  margined  external!}'  with  white,  form- 
ing a  conspicuous  terminal  band  about  twenty-five  one-hundredtfas  of  an  inch 
broad. 

The  young  of  the  year  is  similar,  the  colors  duller,  the  concealed  colored  patch 
on  the  crown  wanting;  the  tail  more  rounded,  the  primaries  not  attenuated. 

Specimens  vary  in  the  amount  of  white  margining  the  wing  feathers ;  the  upper 
tail  coverts  are  also  margined  sometimes  with  white. 

Length,  eight  and  fifty  one-hundredths  inches;  wing, four  and  sixty-five  one- 
hundredths  inches ;  tail,  three  and  seventy  one-hundredths  inches ;  tarsus,  seventy- 
five  one-hundredths  inches. 

THIS  common  species  is  abundantly  distributed  through- 
out New  England  as  a  summer  resident.  It  arrives 
from  the  South  about  the  1st  to  the  10th  of  May :  the  males 
precede  the  females  in  small  parties  of  three  or  four,  the 
latter  arriving  about  a  week  or  ten  days  later. 

Soon  after  the  arrival  of  the  females,  the  males  begin 
their  attentions  to  them ;  and,  as  the  season  of  courtship  is 
comparatively  short,  the  new-made  couple  soon  begin  their 
selection  of  a  locality  for  their  nest.  This  seems  to  be  with 
them  a  rather  difficult  matier  to  settle ;  for  I  have  known  of 
a  pair  remaining  in  an  orchard  a  fortnignt,  examining  every 
tree  and  its  peculiar  advantages,  before  they  made  a  selec- 
tion. 

At  last,  when  the  location  is  decided,  both  birds  com- 
mence work,  and  the  nest  is  soon  completed.  It  is  usually 
placed  on  the  branch  of  an  apple  or  pear  tree,  in  a  small 
cluster  of  twigs  or  a  crotch  of  a  limb :  it  is  constructed 
outwardly  of  coarse  grasses,  laosses,  twigs,  roots,  and 
weeds;  and  is  deeply  hollowed,  and  lined  with  fine  roots, 
horse-hairs,  and  grasses.  About  the  1st  of  June,  the  eggs 
are  laid :  these  are  usually  five  in  number ;  their  ground- 
color is  a  very  delicate  creamy- white,  with  irregular  spatters 
and  spots  of  different  shades  of  brown,  and  some  obscure 

9 


mm>r 


J30  ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 

spots  of  lavender.  Dimensions  of  a  nest  'complement  of 
five  eggs :  1.06  by  .71  inch  ;  1.04  by  .70  in.  li ;  1.02  by  .72 
inch  ;  1  by  .74  inch  ;  and  .94  by  .75  inch. 

During  the  mating  and  breeding  season,  the  pugnacity 
and  courage  of  the  King-bird  are  proverbial:  it  any  bird 
approach  the   neighborhood  of  his  nest,  he  immed  arcly 
attacks  it;    and,  whether   crow   (his   particular   dislike), 
hawk,  or  eagle,  the  intruder  is  obliged  to  flee,  so  fierce  an 
onslaught  does  this  little  warrior  make  on  him.     As  soon 
as  the  cry  of  a  crow  is  heard,  he  is  all  activity :  he  flies 
irom  the  tree  where  he  is  perching  to  reconnoitre,  uttering 
his  shrill  twitter,  and  vibrating  his  wings  in  short,  quick, 
nervous  strokes;  as  soon  as  the  crow  appears   the  King- 
bird pursues  it,  his  flight  now  being  very  swift  and  powertul. 
As  soon  as  he  nears  his  foe,  he  flies  above  him,  and,  dart- 
ing down  on  his  back  and  head,  attacks  him  with  such 
vigor  that  the  crow  dives  and  dodges  to  avoid  him.     He 
repeats  his  attack,  and  follows  his  enemy,  sometimes  to  the 
distance  of  a  mile  and  more :  then,  returning  to  his  mate 
he  perches  on  the  tree  by  her  nest,  and  twitters  a  volley  of 

courageous  songs.  .     .    „      ^  •      „4.„ 

The  food  of  the  King-bird  consists  principally  of  insects, 
which  he  captures  usually  while  on  the  wing.     It  seems  a 
provision  of  nature,  that  all  the  Flycatchers  shall  only  take 
those  insects  that  have  taken  flight  from  the  foliage  of  trees 
and  shrubs,  at  the  same  time  making  the  warblers  and 
other  birds  capture  those  which  remain  concealed  m  such 
places.    The  King-bird,  in  seizing  a  flying  insect,  flies  m  a 
sort  of  half-flitting  hover,  and  seizes  it  with  a  sharp  snap 
of  the  bin      Sometimes  he  descends  from  his  percn,  and 
captures  a  grasshopper  that  has  just  taken  a  short  flight 
and  oxasionally  seizes  one  that  is  crawling  tip  some  tall 
stalk   c"  grass.     Those   farmers  who  keep   bees  dishke 
this  b-rd  because  of  his  bad  habit  of  eating  as  many 
of  those  insects  as  show  themselves  in  the  neighborhood 
of  his  nest;  but  they  should  remember  that  the  general 


''^'iJilnJii^';J?8W\lfe^^»^^''^**^'^^^^'^^'^''^'**^     ""'" 


c;i#'^" 


iiont  of 
2,  by  .72 

ignacity 
my  bird 
lediatcly 
dislike), 
ierco  an 
As  soon 
be  flies 
littering 
t,  quick, 
\G  King- 
)Owerful. 
nd,  dart- 
ith  such 
lim.     He 
les  to  the 
his  mate, 
volley  of 

f  insects, 
,  seems  a 
only  take 
;e  of  trees 
blors  and 
i  in  such 

flics  in  a 
harp  snap 
lerch,  and 
lort  flight, 

some  tall 
;es  dislike 

as  many 
ghborhood 
lie  general 


Kl>iu-BXBl),    Tjfnuutus  VarolincnuU-     Baird. 


•f- 


Ill  I *»  II  miiwii^i 


^mr^ 


THK   GREAT-CRESTED   FLYCATCHER. 


131 


interests  of  agriculture  are  greater  than  those  of  a  hive  of 
bees. 

About  the  middle  of  September,  this  bird  with  his  family 
and  neighbors  gather  into  a  scattered  flock,  and  depart  for 
the  south,^  spending  the  winter  in  Central  America  and 
Southern  Mexico. 

MYIARCHUS,  Cabanh. 

Myiarchut,  Cabants,  Fauna  Peruana  (1844-46)  162.  Burmeister,  Tliicre  Bra- 
giliens,  II.  VoKel(lH56)46U. 

Tarsus  equal  to,  or  not  longer  than,  the  middle  toe,  which  is  decidedly  longer 
than  the  hinder  one;  bill  wider  at  base  than  half  the  culmen;  tail  broad,  long,  even, 
or  slightly  rounded,  about  equal  to  the  wings,  which  scarcely  reach  the  middle  of 
tho  tail,  the  tirst  primary  shorter  than  the  sixth ;  head  with  elongated  lanceolate 
distinct  feathers;  above  brownish-olive;  throat  ash;  belly  yellow;  tail  and  wing 
feathers  varied  with  rufous. 


MTIAHCHUS  CBINITUS.  —  Cabanu. 
The  Great-crested  Flycatcher. 

Mtueieapn  erinita,  Linna;us.    Syst.  Nat.,  1.  (1766)  826.    Wilson,  Am.  Om.,  II. 
(1810)  76.    And.  Om.  Biog.,  II.  (1884)  176;  V.  423. 
Tyramus  crinitut.    Nutt.  Man.,  I.  (2d  ed.,  1840)  803. 

Description. 

Head  with  a  depressed  crest;  third  quill  longest,  fourth  and  second  successively 
but  little  shorter,  first  a  little  longer  than  seventh,  much  shorter  th.in  sixth;  tail 
decidedly  rounded  or  even  graduated,  the  lateral  feather  about  twenty-five  one- 
hundredths  of  an  inch  shorter;  upper  parts  dull  greenish-olive,  with  the  feathers  of 
the  crown,  and  to  some  extent  of  the  back,  showing  their  brown  centres;  upper  tail 
coverts  turning  to  pale  rusty-brown;  small  feathers  at  the  base  of  the  bill,  ceres, 
sides  of  the  head  as  high  as  the  upper  eyelid,  sides  of  the  neck,  throat,  and  forepart 
of  tho  breast,  bluish-ashy;  tho  rest  of  the  lower  parts,  including  axillaries  and  lower 
wing  coverts,  bright  sulphur-yellow;  a  pale  ring  round  the  eye;  sides  of  the  breast 
and  body  tinged  with  olivaceous;  the  wings  brown,  the  first  and  second  rows  of 
coverts,  with  the  secondary  and  tertial  quills,  margined  externally  with  dull-white, 
or  on  the  latter  slightly  tinged  witt  olivaceous-yellow;  primaries  margined  exter- 
nally for  more  than  halt  their  length  from  the  base  with  ferruginous,  great  portion 
of  the  inner  webs  of  all  the  quills  very  pale-feiTuginous ;  the  two  middle  tail 
feathers  light  brown,  shafts  paler,  the  rest  have  the  outer  web  and  a  narrow  line  on 
the  inner  sides  of  the  shaft  brown,  pale  olivaceous  on  the  outer  edge,  the  remainder 
ferruginous  to  tho  very  tip;  outer  web  of  exterior  feather  dull  brownish-yellow;  feet 
black ;  bill  dark-brown  above  and  at  the  tip  below,  paler  towards  the  base. 

The  female  appears  to  have  no  brown  on  the  inner  web  of  the  quills  along  the 
ihaft,  or  else  it  is  confined  chiefly  to  the  outer  feathers. 

Length,  eight  and  seventy-five  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  four  and  twenty- 


t  i 


\       ' 


182 


OUNITHOLOOY   AND  OOLOGY. 


five  one-hundredths;  tail,  four  tnd  ten  one-hundredth.;  tarsui,  eighty-Bve  one- 

*""//,! -'t:.«tcm  North  Araeric  to  the-Mii»ouri,  and  south  to  Ewtem  Texas  (not 
yet  observed  l^jrther  west). 

This  species  is  a  rare  summer  inhabitant  of  Now  England. 
It  arrives  1V<mu  the  Sotith  about  the  lOtli  of  May  in  the  lati- 
tude of  Masbachusetts,  — that  is,  so  far  as  so  irr(«/ular  a 
visitor  may  be  said  to  arrive,  — and  spreads  thnaghout 
these  States.    It  is  less  rare  in  the  southern  districts  than 
in  the  middle,  and  hardly  penetrates  as  far  north  as  the 
latitude  of  the  middle  of  Maine.    It  has  been  ascertained 
to  breed  in  all  these  States ;  and  two  nests,  with  their  con- 
tents, are  before  me.    One  of  these  was  found  in  a  hollow 
tree  in  Plymouth,  Mass.,  on  the  10th  of  June ;  the  other 
was  found  in  Middleton,  Mass.,  on  the  4th  of  June.    These 
nests  are  composed  of  straws,  leaves,  feathers,  and  the  cast- 
off  skins  of  snakes;  and  it  seems  a  distinguishing  character- 
istic of  the  nests  of  this  species  to  have  the  skins  of  one  or 
more  snakes  woven  into  the  other  materials.    The  first 
of  these  nests  had  five  eggs ;  the  other,  three.    These  are  of 
a  beautiful  creamy-buff,  and  covered  with  irregular  scratches 
and  lines  of  different  shades  of  purple.  Wilson  says  of  these 
eggs,  "  The  female  lays  (  .ur  eggs  of  a  dull  cream-color, 
thickly  scratched  with  purple  lines  of  various  tints,  as  if 
done  with  a  pen."    Dimensions  of  eggs  vary  from  .95  by  .78 
inches  to  1  by  .80  inch. 

As  this  siHcies  is  quite  rare  in  these  States,  I  have  had 
but  very  few  chances  for  observing  its  habits.  It  appears 
to  be  equally  courageous  and  quarrelsome  with  the  King- 
bird, and  has  many  of  the  peculiarities  of  that  bird.  Its 
food  consists  of  insects,  which  it  captures  while  on  the  wing, 
after  the  manner  of  the  other  species.  When  the  yoiuig 
leave  the  nest,  they  feed  on  berries  and  caterpillars,  and  are 
fond  of  crickets  and  grasshoppers.  By  the  middle  of  Sep- 
tember,  the  whole  family  leave  for  the  South. 


'I 


THB  PEWEB.  183 


SAYOKNIS,  Bom  A  )•  Aim. 

Bayontii,  BoiTAPARTB?  Ateneo  Italiano  (ISBi;  lb,,  Comptcs  Rendiu  (1884), 
Notes  Orn.    Dolnttre. 

Head  witli  a  blended  depreasod  moderate  creiit;  tarNim  decidedly  Iodk"''  than 
middl'  toe,  which  is  warcely  longer  than  the  hind  tue;  bill  rather  narrow,  wuith  at 
baie  ub'jut  half  the  nilinen;  tail  broad,  long,  Hlightly  forked,  equal  to  the  w^n|l», 
which  a.'o  moderately  pointed,  and  reach  to  the  middle  of  the  tail,  lint  primary 
tborter  than  the  sixth. 


SATOENIS  TVSCVS.-Baird. 
yThe  Pewee;  Phebe-bird.- 

lluicii'<ipaj'moa,  Gmelin.    flyst.  Nat.,  I.  (1788)  981.    Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  II.  (1884) 
13;  V.  (i889)  424.    lb..  Birds  Amer.,  1.  (1840)  228. 
Tgrtmmutfatciu,  Nunall.    Man.,  I.  (2d  od.,  1840)  812. 
Mutnetgn  nunciota,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  II.  (1810)  78;  pi.  sill. 


Dbbchiption. 

Sides  of  breast  and  upper  parts  dull  olive-brown,  Aiding  slightly  toward  the  tail ; 
top  and  sides  of  head  dark -brown;  a  few  dull-white  featliera  on  the  eyelids;  lower 
parts  dull  yellowish-white,  mixed  with  brown  on  the  chin,  and  in  some  individuals 
across  the  brcant;  quills  I  ■>wn,  the  ouf^T  primary,  secondaries,  and  tertials  edged 
with  dull-white;  in  some  individuals  the  greater  coverts  faintly  edged  with  dull- 
white;  tail  brown,  outer  edge  of  lateral  fi  .ither  dull-white,  outer  edges  of  the  rest 
like  the  back;  tibin-  '<rown;  bill  .  .sd  feet  i-lack;  bill  slender,  edges  nearly  straight; 
tail  rather  broad,  and  slightly  fiiaed,  third  quill  longest,  second  and  fourth  nearly 
equal,  the  first  shortpr  tha,')  sixth. 

Length,  seven  iiu  iicc ;  .  three  and  forty-two  one-hundredths;  tail,  three  and 

thirty  one-hundredths. 

JEToA.  —  Eastern  North  Amei    a. 

In  autumn,  and  occasional  r  in  early  spring,  the  colors  ore  miich  clearer  and 
brighter.  Whole  lower  parts  sou  times  bright  sulphur-yellow,  above  greenish-olive, 
top  and  sides  of  the  head  tinged  with  sooty;  in  the  young  of  the  year,  the  colors  are 
much  duller;  all  the  wing  coverts  broadly  tipped  with  light  orruginous,  as  alao  the 
extreme  ends  of  the  wings  and  tail  feathers;  the  brown  is  prevalent  on  the  whole 
throat  and  breast;  the  hind  part  of  the  back,  rump,  and  tail,  strongly  ferruginous. 

The  tail  of  this  species  is  quite  deeply  forked,  tlm  external  feather  being  from 
thirty-live  one-hundredths  to  forty  uii'-hundredths  of  an  inch  longer  tlian  the 
middle  one. 

This  well-known  bird  is  a  very  common  summer  inhabl 
tant  of  all  New  England.     It  arrives  from  the  South  often 
as  early  as  the  middle  of  March,  sometimes  before  the  last 
snowstorm  of   the   season.     As   soon   as  the  birds    have 
paired,  usually  by  the  last  of  April,  tli<'y  commence  build- 


MUMter* 


j&isi^emiamiMim^mxm'^imsa^  .  v: 


r 


# 


"iPiiP 


184 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGV. 


Ing.  Tho  nost  is  usually  placed  under  a  bridge,  BoiuotimoB 
under  an  oavo,  or  lodge  of  rock,  Bomotimos  in  a  barn 
or  other  building.  It  iB  couHtructod  of  fine  roots,  grasBOs, 
fine  moBB,  and  hairs,  which  are  plastered  together,  and 
to  tiio  ol)joct  tliO  nost  is  built  on,  by  pellets  of  mud :  it  is 
hollowed  about  an  inch  and  a  half,  and  lined  with  soft 
grasses,  wool,  and  foatliers.  Th(5  eggs  are  usually  five  in 
number :  their  color  is  white,  with  a  very  delicate  cream  tint. 
There  are  usually  in  each  litter  one  or  two  eggs  with  a  few 
spots  thinly  scattered  over  the  larger  end :  these  spots  are 
of  a  roddish-browu.  The  period  of  incubation  is  thirteen 
days,  and  two  broods  are  often  reared  in  the  season  in  this 
latitude.  Tho  length  of  eggs  varies  from  .72  to  .78  inch ; 
breadth,  from  .54  to  .56  inch. 

The  familiar  cheerful  habits  of  this  species,  and  tho  fact 
that  it  is  one  of  the  first  birds  to  remind  us  of  the  return 
of  spring,  have  made  it  a  universal  favorite;   and  many 
residents  in  the  country  are  so  attached  to  it,  that  they 
protect   it,   and    encourage    its  visits,   and   even    provide 
quarters  for  the  establishment  of  its  nest.    It  seems  to  pre- 
fer the  neighborhood  of  a  pond  or  stream  of  water  for  its 
home,  where,  perching  on  the  branch  of  an  overhanging 
tree,  or  on  the  railing  of  a  bridge,  or  darting  about  in  dif- 
ferent directions,  it  busies  itself  through  the  day  in  catching 
the  insects  that  swarm  in  myriads  in  such  localities.     When 
perching,  it  frequently  flirts  its  tail,  and  erects  the  feathers 
of   its   head,  uttering  the    notes  phebS-pheUe  in    a    soft 
plaintive  key.     Sometimes,  this  note  is  more  lively,  resem- 
bling the  word  pewiet,  pewiet,  uttered  in  a  quick,  cheerful 
manner.    The  beautiful  description  of  the  habits  of  this 
bird,  given  by  Audubon,  is  certainly  one  of  tho  best  efforts 
of  that  naturalist;  and  I  would  advise  all  who  are  interested 
in  the  history  of  the  bird  to  read  it. 

After  the  young  have  left  the  nest,  the  parents  remam 
together  in  the  neighborhood  of  their  home  until  their 
departure,  about  the  middle  of  October.    At  this  time,  they 


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THE   OLIVE-SIDED    FLYCATCHER. 


186 


are  a  little  more  shy  than  they  were  during  the  season 
of  incubation,  and  their  note  is  seldom  heard  ;  and,  when  it 
is,  it  consists  of  a  melancholy  strain,  quite  different  from 
that  uttered  in  the  spring  and  early  summer. 


CONTOPUS,-  Cabanis. 


(Type 


Cbntopta,  Cabanis,  Journal  fUr  Omithologie,  III.  (Nov.,  1865)  479. 
Muscicapa  virent,  L.) 

Tarsus  verj-  short,  but  stout,  less  than  the  middle  toe,  and  scarcely  longer  than 
the  hinder  {  bill  quite  broad  at  the  base,  wider  than  half  the  culmen;  tail  mod- 
erately forked,  much  shorter  than  the  wings  (rather  more  than  tliree-fourths) ;  wings 
very  long  and  much  pointed,  reaching  beyond  the  middle  of  the  tail,  the  first 
primary  about  equal  to  the  fourth;  all  the  primaries  slender  and  rather  acute,  but 
not  attenuated;  head  moderately  crested ;  color,  olive  above,  pale-yellowish  beneath, 
with  a  darker  patch  on  the  sides  of  the  breast;  under  tail  coverts  streaked. 


BBtS^BS^Bit  flv^' 


COBTOPUS  BOBEALIS.  — JSatrd 

The  Olive-sided  Flycatcher. 

Tyrannut  borealis,  Sw.  and  Rich.  F.  Bor.  Am.,  II.  (1831)  141;  plate. 
Mmcicapa  Coqperi,  Nuttall.    Man.,  I.  (1832)  282.    Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  11.  (1684) 
422;  V.  (1839)422. 

Tyranmu  Co(ipen,  Bonaparte.    List  (1838).    Nutt.  Man.,  I.  (2d  ed.,  1840)  298. 
Muscicapa  irwrnala,  Nuttall.    Man.  I.  (1832)  282. 

Description. 

Wings  long,  much  pointed  the  second  quill  longest,  the  first  longer  than  the 
third;  tail  deeply  forked ;  tarsi  short;  the  upper  parts  ashy-brown,  showing  darker 
brown  centres  of  the  feathers,  this  is  eminently  the  case  on  the  top  of  the  head ; 
the  sides  of  the  head  and  neck,  of  the  breast  and  body  resembling  the  back,  but 
with  the  edges  of  the  feathers  tinged  with  gray,  leaving  a  darker  central  streak;  the 
chin,  throat,  narrow  line  down  tlie  middle  of  the  breast  and  body,  abdomen,  and 
lower  tail  coverts  white,  or  sometimes  with  a  faint  tinge  of  yellow;  the  lower 
tpil  coverts  somewhat  streaked  with  brown  in  the  centre;  on  each  side  of  the  rump, 
generally  concealed  by  the  wings,  is  an  elongated  bunch  of  white  silky  feathers; 
the  wings  and  tail  very  dark  brown,  the  former  with  the  edges  of  the  secondaries 
and  tertials  edged  with  dull-white;  the  lower  wing  coverts  and  axillaries  grayish- 
brown;  the  tips  of  the  primaries  and  tail  feathers  rather  paler;  feet  and  upper 
mandible  black,  lower  mandible  brown;  the  young  of  the  year  similar,  but  the 
color  duller;   feet  light-brown. 

Length,  seven  and  fifty  one-hundredths  inches  ;  wing,  four  and  thirty-three  one- 
hnndredths ;  tail,  three  and  thirty  one-hundredths ;  tarsus,  sixty  one-hundredths. 

//<ii.  — Rare  on  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  coasts  of  the  United  States.  Not 
observed  in  the  interior,  except  to  the  north.    Found  in  Greenland.    (Reinhardt.) 

This  bird  is  a  not  very  common  summer  inhabitant  of 
New  England.     It  arrives  from  the  South  about  the  20th 


a-: 


-,s>.-.  A!S5fia*!3iSai?'^i 


-jV^A'S^A^  •::A' 


136 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


of  May,  and  is  most  frequently  observed  in  low  growths  of 
oak  and  chestnut:   it  seems  always  busily  employed  m 
tchhlg  winged  insects,  of  which  its  ^oo^^^^^ 
consists  •  these  it  seizes  in  tlie  manner  of  the  Kmg-b  rd, 
wrcrWrdTresembles  in  both  its  habits  and  disposU^n 
Ih^e  sometimes  seen  two  birds  of  this  species  engaged  m 
a  St  which,  for  fierceness,  I  have  hardly  seen  surpassed. 
They  would  rU  together  in  mid-air,  snapping  their  bUls 
2nl  with  their  wings,  and  pecking  each  other,  until  «iey 
both  descended  to  the  trees  beneath,  actually  exhausted  with 

*'r  vSl^ays  that  it  breeds  .^Ue  -mm-  -yhe 
Umbagog  Lakes,  Me. ;  but  1  have  never  been  able  to  find  ts 
neTt  tLL  or  elsewhere,  although  I  have  looked  for  it  with 

"^B  hrbeen  found  breeding  in  Vermont ;  and  Dr.  Thomp- 

Bon  in  his  work  on  the  birds  of  that  State,  give-,  a  descnp- 

";  0    the  nest  and  eggs.    Three  nests  have  boon  found  in 

MTIchusetts  within  two  years ;  two  in  West  ^^^ 

one  in  Dorchester.    These  were  all  built  "^forkeu  twigs 

o    apple-trees,  in  old  negV  .ted  orchards,  facing    o  t^e 

southward,  and  were  constructed  of  the  same  materia  tha 

he  King-bird  uses  in  its  nest.    In  fact,  they  were  almost 

exacdy  Uke  the  King-bird's  nest,  but  were  a  little  smaller. 

Two  orL  nests  had  three  eggs  each,  and  the  other  had 
but  two.     They  were  all  found  in  the  first  week  m  June, 
and  the  eggs  were  freshly  laid :  probably,  if  t^^-^^^-^ 
unmolested,  more  eggs  would  have  been  deposited^    Three 
of  These  eggs  are  in  my  cabinet.    To  compare  them  with 
the  eggs  of  any  other  bird,  I  should  say  they  seem  like 
exceedfugly  large  Wood  Pewee's :  for  they  are  almost  exactly 
ie  h  m  iu  sh'ape,  color,  and  markings;  being  of  a  creamy- 
white,  with  large  blotches  and  spatters  of  Wac   lavender 
and  brownish-red.    Their  dimensions  are  .88  by  .68 ,  .»» 

by  .66 ;  .86  by  .68  inch.  r^     v. -a       Moao 

Mr.  Nuttall,  who  found  a  nest  in  Cambridge,  Mass., 


I 


THE  WOOD   PEWEE. 


137 


describes  it  as  follows:   "It  was  built  in  the  horizontal 
branch  of  a  tall  red  cedar,  forty  or  fifty  feet  from  the 
ground.    It  was  formed  much  in  the  manner  of  the  King- 
bird's, externally  made  of  interlaced  dead  twigs  of  the 
cedar ;  internally,  of  the  wire  stolons  of  the  common  Lichm 
or  Umea.    It  contained  three  young,  and  had  had  probably 
four  eggs.    The  eggs  had  been  hatched  about  the  20th  of 
June,  so  that  the  pair  had  arrived  in  this  vicinity  about  the 
close  of   May."      He  also  describes  the  bird's   note  as 
follows :  "  The  female  had  a  whistling,  oft-repeated,  whin- 
ing call  of  'pu  'pu,  then  varied  to  'pti  'pip,  and  'pip  'pti,  also 
at  times  'pip  'pip  'pu,  'pip  'p^P  Yp,  >«  'P"  >>' <^^  '/^  ^" 
Hu,  and  'tu  'tu.    The  male,  besides  this  note,  had,  at  long 
intervals,  a  call  of  seh' phSbee  or  'h'  pheMd,  <ilu-08t  exactly 
in  the  tone  of  the  circular  tin  whistle  or  bird-call." 

By  the  second  week  in  September,  none  of  these  birds 
are  to  be  seen;  and,  probably  before  that  time,  they  have 
all  departed  on  their  migrations. 

COHTOPUS  VIEBHS.  —  Cubanit. 
X  The  Wood  Pewee.  -' 

Mwcieapa  virens,  Linnteus.    Syat  Nat.,  I.  (1768)  827. 
285.    Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  II.  (1834)  98;  V.  (1839)  425. 

liMdcapu  rapax,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  II.  (1810)  81. 

TyranntM  mrm»,  Nuttall.    Man.,  I.  (2d  ed.,  1840)  816. 

Description. 

The  second  quill  longest,  the  third  a  litUe  shorter,  the  first  shorter  than  the 
fourth  tLelatte?  nearly  forty  one-hundredths  longer  than  the  fifth ;  the  pnmanes 
mo«^h«i  an  Sch  longer  than  the  secondaries,  the  upper  parts,  sides  oj  «.e  head, 
Tck  t"b"Lt,  dar/olivaeeous-brown,  the  latter  rather  paler,  the  head  darker;  a 
naLow  wWte  ring  round  the  eye;  the  lower  parts  pale-yellow.sh,  deepest  on  the 
Sler,  across  the  breast  tinged  with  ash;  this  pale  ash  somet.mos  occupies 
t  whole  of  the  breast,  and  even  occasionally  extends  up  to  the  chm,  jt  .s  also 
leurn^  gLed  with  rfivaceous;  the  wings  and  tail  ^"''t""";?^^?^ 
thrn  in  a  Mem,  two  narrow  bands  across  the  wing,  the  outer  edge  of  hrst 
SaS  and  of  the  secondaries  and  tertials  dull-white;  the  edges  of  the  ta.  feathers 
\ZZ  back,  the  outer  one  scarcely  lighter;  upper  mand.ble  black,  the  lower  yel- 

^erX^lx  tnd  VfiL  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  th.e  and  fifty  one-hnn- 
'"-Z.  L^irN^rir  r  riers  of  the  high  central  plains,  south  to 
Kew  Granada. 


Nutt.  Man.,  I.  (1832) 


*■ 


<*nw 


HB* 


mm 


Btti' 


r 


•138 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


This  bird  is  a  common  summer  inhabitan  of  New  Eng- 
land, making  its  appearance  from  the  South  from  abouo  the 
10  h  to  the  20th  of  May.     It  prefers  the  sohtudes  of 


the  deep  forests  to  the  more  open  districts,  and  is  a  more 
retiring  species  than  any  of  its  cousins  in  these  States. 
About  tlie  last  of  May,  the  birds,  having  chosen  their  mates, 
commence  building.  The  nest  is  placed  usualy  on  the 
horizontal  limb  of  a  tree,  generally  at  a  height  of  about 
twenty  feet  from  the  ground :  it  is  composed  of  pine  leaves 
and  cottony  substances,  and  covered  with  lichens  and 
mosses,  which  are  fixed  on  after  the  manner  of  the  Hum- 
ming-bird. I  think  Nuttall's  description  of  the  nest  the 
best  that  I  have  seen:  it  is  as  follows:  — 

«'The  nest  is  extremely  neat  and  curious,  almost  universally 
saddled  upon  an  old  moss-grown  and  decayed  limb  in  a  horizontal 
position,  and  is  so  remarkably  shallow,  and  incoriK>rated  upon  the 
^anch,  as  to  be  easily  overlooked.  The  body  of  the  fabric  con- 
sistfl  of  wiry  grass  and  root  fibres,  often  blended  with  small  branch- 
ing  lichens,  held  together  with  cobwebs  and  caterpillars  sUk, 
moistened  with  saliva ;  externally,  it  is  so  coated  over  with  bluish, 
crustaceous  lichens  as  to  be  hardly  discernible  from  the  moss 
upon  the  tree.  It  is  Uned  with  finer  root-fibres,  or  slender  grass- 
stalks." 


»  1'  I  • 


ciiilfirSAiift^*^^'^"**-"^'*^'''**** 


■hMilMli 


THE  WOOD   PEWEE. 


189 


'g- 

lie 
of 


aore 
ites. 
Eites, 

the 
bout 
saves 

and 
lum- 
,  the 

raally 
zontal 
in  the 
3  con- 
ranch- 
'  silk, 
bluish, 
moss 
grass- 


Tho  eggs  are  generally  four  in  number.  They  are  very 
beautiful,  being  of  a  delicate  cream-color,  with  blotches 
and  spots  of  lilac  and  brown  around  the  larger  end  :  there 
are  two  shades  of  lilac,  — one  obscure,  and  the  other 
decided,  even  a  lavender.  The  eggs  are  generally  oval  in 
shape,  and  but  little  larger  at  one  end  than  at  the  other. 
Length  from  .72  to  .78  inch ;  breadth  from  .54  to  .56  inch. 
But  one  brood  is  reared  in  the  season  in  New  England. 
The  period  of  incubation  is  fourteen  days. 

The  habits  of  this  species  are  not  generally  so  well  known 
as  those  of  the  Phebe,  which  bird  it  resembles  in  many 
respects.    Although  it  is  usually  found  in  the  wildest  and 
most  thickly  wooded  localities,  it  sometimes  frequents  the 
orchards  and  open  pastures ;  and  I  have  occasionally  seen 
individuals  on  the  trees  on  Boston  Common,  busily  engaged 
in  hunting  insects,  and  apparently  having  families  in  the 
neighborhood.    The  note  is  different  from  that  of  the  Phebe, 
being  more  plaintive  and  drawling,  sounding  like  the  syl- 
lables  '' pe-^oeiee;'    '' pe-weSee."      When   the    nest   is    ap- 
proached, both   the    parents    fly  to    meet   the   intruder, 
hovering  over  his  head,  snapping  their  bills,  and  utternig 
short  notes  of  complaint  like  chip-pee,  pe-peu :  they  often 
alight  on  a  twig  near  him,  and  flirt  their  tails  and  quiver 
their  wings  in   a  nervous,  irritable   manner.     After  the 
young  have  left  the  nest,  the  old  birds  separate ;  and,  though 
still  frequenting  the  same  localities  they  inhabited  during 
the  season  of  incubation,  they  are  seldom  seen  together, 
each  seeming  to  avoid  the  other.    They  are  now  generally 
silent,  and,  when  approached,  are  quite  shy.    They  leave 
the  New-England  States  by  the  10th  of  September,  and 
probably  winter  in  South  America. 

EMPIDONAX,  CABAN18. 

EmpiAmax,  Cabanib,  Journal  flir  Omithologie,  III.  (Nov.,  1886)  480  (type 
TyfrannMla  putiUa, 

Tyrannula  of  most  authors. 


r 


140 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


TsrsMltngthened,  considerably  longer  than  the  middle  toe,  which  is  decidedly 
longer  tlian  the  hind  toe;  bill  variable;  tail  very  slightly  forked,  even,  or  rounded, 
a  little  shorter  only  than  the  wings,  which  are  considerably  rounded,  the  first  pn- 
inary  much  shorter  than  the  fourth;  head  moderately  crested;  color  ohvaceou* 
above,  yellowish  beneath;  throat  generally  gray. 

EUFIDONAX  TBAILLII.  — SairA 

The  Traill's  Flyoatoher. 

Afuicicapa  trmllii,  Audubon.    Cm.  Biog.,  I.  (1832)  236;  V.  (1889)  426. 
Tyramu,  trainU,  Nuttall.    Man.,  I.  (2d  ed.,  1840)  823. 

DEBCniPTION. 

Third  quill  longest,  second  scarcely  shorter  than  fourth,  first  shorter  than  fifth, 
about  thirty-flve  one-hundrcdths  shorter  than  the  longest;  primaries  about  seventy- 
five  one-hundredths  of  an  inch  longer  than  secondaries;  tail  even;  upper  parts  dark 
olive-green,  lighter  under  the  wings,  and  duller  and  mora  tinged  with  ash  on  nope 
and  sides  of  the  n.   k;  centre  of  the  crown  feathers  brown;  a  pale  yellow.sh-wh.te 
ring  (in  some  specimens  altogether  white)  round  the  eye;  loral    eathers  mixed 
with  white:  chin  and  throat  white;  the  breast  and  sides  of  throat  l.ght-ash  tmged 
witii   olive,  its  intensity  varying  in   individuals,  the  former  "ometimes    family 
tinged  with  olive;  sides  of  the  breast  much  like  the  back;  middle  of  the  belly  nearly 
white;  sides  of  the  belly,  abdomen,  and  the  lower  tail  coverts  sulphur-yellow;  the 
quills  and  tail  feathers  dark-brown,  as  dark  (if  not  more  so)  as  these  parUm 
C  mrem;  two  olivaceous  yellow-white  bands  on  Uie  wing,  formed  oy  (.^e  tips  of  the 
first  and  second  coverts,  succeeded  by  a  browa  one,  the  edge  of  the  first  ,r.mary 
and  of  secondaries  and  tertials  a  little  lighter  shade  of  the  same;  the  outer  edge  of 
the  tail  feathers  like  the  back,  that  of  the  lateral  one  r..ther  bghterj  bUl  above  dark- 
brown,  dull-brownish  beneath.  .      ,    j.u     »  -i  f„„  .«^ 
Length,  nearly  six  inches;  wing,  two  and  ninety  one-hundredths;  tail,  two  and 

sixty  one-hundredths. 

Hob.  —Eastern  United  States,  and  south  to  Mexico. 

This  bird  is  occasionally  found  as  a  spring  and  autnmn 
visitor  VI  New  England,  arriving  about  the  15th  or  20th  of 
May.  lu  its  habits,  it  resembles  the  Least  Flycatcher  (K 
minimm),  as  it  does  also  in  its  plumage:  in  fact,  these  two 
birds  and  the  Green-crested  Flycatcher  have  been  so  much 
mistaken  for  each  other  by  different  naturalists,  the  confu- 
sion in  whose  descriptions  is  so  great,  that  it  requires  a  very 
careful  examination  to  identify  either  of  these  birds  per- 
fectly and  accurately.  I  have  had  no  opportunities  for 
observing  the  habits  of  the  bird  now  before  us,  and  can  add 
nothing  to  its  history.    Tliompson,  in  his  "  Vermont  Birds," 


'r 


I 


THE  LEAST   FLYCATCHER, 


141 


gives  it  as  breeding  in  that  State ;  and  I  have  no  doubt  it 
occasionally  passes  the  summer  in  each  of  the  New-England 
States.  I  had  a  nost  and  four  eggs  brought  me  in  June, 
1864,  found  in  Eastern  Massachusetts,  that  were  almost 
exactly  like  those  of  E.  minimus ;  but  the  bird  brought 
with  the  nest  was  unquestionably  of  this  specips  :  whether 
or  not  the  two  belonged  together  I  cannot  say,  but  think 
that  they  probably  did.  The  norson  who  collected  them 
informed  me  that  the  nest  was  found  in  an  apple-tree  in  an 
'  old  orchard  :  it  was  built  in  a  small  fork  about  twenty  feet 
from  the  ground.  The  bird  attacked  the  person  who  found 
it,  courageously  flying  in  his  face,  and  snapping  its  bill 
with  anger,  and  uttering  a  querulous  twitter  like  that  of  the 
Phebo.  The  eggs  were  nearly  hatched ;  and,  as  they  were 
found  on  the  20th  of  Juno,  they  must  have  been  laid  by 
the  10th  of  that  month. 

Two  eggs  in  my  cabinet,  from  near  Quebec,  Lower  Can- 
ada, collected  by  William  Couper,  Esq.,  who  informs  me 
this  species  is  occasionally  met  with  there,  are  of  a  creamy- 
white  color,  like  that  of  the  eggs  of  E.  minimus  ;  each  egg 
having  a  very  few  pale  reddish-brown  dots.  The  form  of 
the  eggs  is  more  elongatod  than  that  of  the  eggs  of  minimus, 
the  dimensions  being  .77  by  .53  inch,  and  .76  by  .55  inch. 


i 


EMPIDONAX  MIHIBIUS.  — 5atrrf. 

XTha  Least  Flycatcher;  Chehee.  •^ 

Tyranmda  minima,  William  M.  and  S.  F.  Baird.  Pr.  A.  N.  Sc.  I.  (July,  1!>43) 
284.    Ih.,  Sillim.  Am.  Jour.  Sc.  (July,  1844).    And.,  Birds  Amer.  VH.  (1844)  843, 

pi.  491. 

DESCHrmoN. 

Second  quill  longest,  third  and  fourth  but  little  shorter,  fifth  a  little  less,  first 
intermediate  between  fitlh  and  sixth;  tail  even;  above  olive-brown,  darker  on  the 
head,  becoming  paler  on  the  rump  and  upper  tail  coverts;  the  middle  of  the  back 
most  strongly  olivaceous;  the  nape  (in  some  individuals)  and  sides  of  the  head 
tinged  with  ash;  a  ring  round  the  eye,  and  some  of  the  loral  feathers  white,  the  chin 
and  throat  white;  the  sides  of  the  throat  and  across  the  breast  duU-ash,  the  color  on 
the  latter  sometimes  nearly  obsolete;  sides  of  the  breast  similar  to  the  back,  but  of  a 
lighter  tint;  middle  of  the  belly  very  pale  yelloivish-white,  turning  to  pale  sulphur- 
yellow  on  the  sides  of  the  belly,  abdomen,  and  lower  tail  coverts;  wings  brown 


»   M 


HMil 


.ifjaniJiliw 


1 1'\  II '  ""■"*' 


i=J 


finiMP 


mffipipppp?! 


142 


ORNITUOLOOY   AND  OOLOGY. 


two  narrow  wl.ito  bnn.U  on  vrinR,  formed  by  the  tips  of  the  flnt  and  .econd  cov- 
ert., succeeded  by  one  of  brown;  the  edge  of  the  flrrt  prunar>-,  and  of  the  second- 
aries and  tertial*,  white;  tail  rother  iJKhter  brown,  cdRcd  cxternHlly  like  the  back; 
feather,  narrow,  not  acuminate,  with  the  ends  rather  blunt.  In  autumn,  the  wh.l- 
parts  arc  KtronRlv  tinned  with  yellow. 

Lensth,  about  (Ivo  inches;  wing,  two  and  sixty-flve  one-hundredths;  tail,  two 
and  fifty  one-hundredths. 

Hab.  —  Kaatem  United  States  to  Missouri  plains. 

This  species  arrives  from  the  South  usually  about  the 
last  week  in  April.     The  birds  commence  building  about 
the  20th  or  25th  of  May.     Tlio  nest  is  placed  usually  iu 
a  small  fork  of  a  limb  of  an  apple-tree,  in  the  orchard,  and 
often  quite  near  the  house  :  it  is  composed  of  soft,  fine  grass, 
cobwebs,  twine,  cotton,  — in  fact,  almost  any  thing  that  will 
help  to  make  a  smooth,  compact  fabric :  the  interior  is  lined 
with  soft  grass,  bristles,  fine  roots,  feathers,  and  wool.    The 
eggs  are  usually  four  in  number,  sometimes  three,  some- 
times five  :  they  are  of  a  beautiful  creamy-white  color ;  and 
their  form  is  nearly  pyriform,  being  abruptly  tapered  to  tho 
small  end.     Dimensions  of  a  nest  complement  of  four  eggs, 
taken  at  random  from  a  large  number,  collected  in  different 
parts  of  New  England :  .63  by  .60  inch,  .64  by  .51  inch, 
.61  by  .53  inch,  .60  by  .53  mch.    This  species  often  breeds 
twice  in  the  season  in  New  England.    The  period  of  incuba- 
tion is  thirteen  days. 

This  bird,  being  very  abundantly  distributed  as  a  summer 
resident  throughout  New  England,  is  well  known,  and  its 
habits  are  familiar  to  all.  It  prefers  the  neighborhood  of 
civilization,  and  is  most  frequently  found  in  orchards  and 
gardciis.  A  pair  once  built  in  an  apple-tree,  immediately 
beneath  my  chamber  window,  — so  near  that  I  couhl  touch 
the  nest  with  a  rod  four  feet  in  length.  The  nest  was  com- 
menced on  the  5th  of  June,  and  was  finished  by  the  10th ; 
both  birds  working  in  its  construction.  The  female  laid 
four  eggs  in  three  days'  time,  and  commenced  sitting  when 
the  fourth  was  laid.  Both  birds  incubated,  and  the  male 
remained  on  the  nest  nearly  as  long  as  his  mate.    When  he 


J 


TUE   SMALL   OnEKN-CHESTED    FLYCATCHER. 


148 


waH  off  tho  nest,  ho  was  very  pugnacious ;  attacking  every 
bird  that  canio  near,  and  even  forcing  a  roliiu  to  retreat,  so 
fieree  was  tho  onslaught  lie  made  on  it.  Hy  always,  in 
attacking  other  birds,  uttered  his  shrill  cry,  chebilc,  cheh'lc, 
and  snapped  his  bill  loudly  and  fiercely.  When  pciching, 
he  often  flirted  his  tail  in  tho  manner  of  the  Phebo ;  and, 
every  few  seconds,  he  emitted  his  note,  —  chebSc,  chebSc, 
cheMo;  varied  sometimes  into  chebeo-trree-treo,  cheb^c-treee- 
cheu. 

The  young  were  all  hatched  by  the  fourteenth  day,  and 
left  the  nest  within  a  month  from  their  birth.  They  wore  fed 
abundantly,  while  on  tho  nest,  by  the  parents,  with  insects, 
which  they  caught  and  crushed  between  their  bills:  they 
were  fed  a  few  days  after  they  left  tho  nest,  and  then  turned 
adrift ;  the  parents  having  begun  another  nest  on  the  samo 
tree. 

Tho  Least  Flycatcher  has  often  been  called  the  Small 
Green-crested  or  Acadican  Flycatcher.  I  would  caution 
those  who  are  interested  in  the  history  of  those  birds  to 
observe  groat  care,  and  be  certain  of  their  identity  before 


naming  them. 


By  the  second  week  in  September,  it  leaves  on  its  south- 
ern migration. 


EHPIDONAX  AOADICnS.  —  Baird. 
The  Small  Greeo-erested  Flycatcher. 

t  Mutdcapa  acadica,  Gmelin.     Syst.  Nat,  I.  (1788)  947. 
(1884)  268;  V.  (1839)  429.    Nutt.  Man.,  L  (1832)  208. 
Mmcicapa  quentla,  Wilson.    Am.  Orn.,  IL  (1810)  77. 
Tyrannut  acadica,  Nuttall.    Man.  L  (2d  ed.,  1840)  820. 


And.  Orn.  Biog.,  11. 


Description. 
The  second  and  third  quills  are  longest,  and  about  equal;  the  fourth  a  little 
shorter,  the  first  about  equal  to  the  fifth,  and  about  thirty-five  one-Iiundrodtlis  less 
than  the  longest;  tail  even;  the  upper  parts,  with  sides  of  the  head  and  neck,  olive- 
green,  the  crown  very  little  if  any  darker;  a  yellowish-white  ring  round  the  eye; 
the  sides  of  the  body  under  the  wings  like  the  back,  but  fainter  olive,  a  tinge  of  the 
game  across  the  breast;  the  chin,  throat,  and  middle  of  the  belly  white;  the  abdo- 
men, lower  tail  and  wing  coverts,  and  sides  of  the  body  not  covered  by  the  wings, 
pale  greenish-yellow;  edges  of  the  first  primary,  secondaries,  and  tertials  margined 


^ 


144 


OBNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOaY. 


-Ith  dull  vellowLh-whlto,  mo»t  broadly  on  the  Ittttcri  two  tr«nive«fl  l.«nd.  of  p.le- 
y    low     .  «  OM  the  wlnK-.  formed  by  .be  tip,  of  .he  -econdary  .nd  Vr'n.ry^^l'^' 
Lti;  by  .  brown  one,  tail  .l«ht-brown    "'^'-V'T."— "  t  bw' 
upp*r  mandlbU  light-brown  above,  pale-yellow  beneaU..    In  autumi..  tht  lower 

'"t:;,b::W.'at':ixty-flve  o..e.hundredth.  Inch.,,  wing,  three,  UU.  t.o  and 

ieventy-flve  one-hundredth«  inches. 

■     llab.  —  Eaatem  United  State*  to  the  MiMi«»ippI- 

This  bird  is  a  rare  summor  inhabitant  of  any  of  the  New- 
Entrland  States,  seldom  coming  so  far  north.  1  have  had 
„o  opportunities  of  observing  its  habits,  and  can  give  no 
description  from  my  own  observation.  Mr.  Allen  says  that 
it  breeds  in  swamps  and  low  moist  thickets,  which  are  its 

exclusive  haunts.  »  t    i   t  •* 

Giraud,  in  his  «  Birds  of  Long  Island,"  says,  « In  habi  s, 
it  is  solitary ;  generally  seen  on  the  lower  branches  of  the 
largest  trees ;  utters  a  quick,  sharp  note ;  arrives  among  UB 
in  the  latter  part  of  May,  and  retires  southward  early  m 

^"fhTve  no  nest,  but  understand  that  it  resembles  that  of 
the  Least  Flycatcher.  Five  eggs  before  me,  furnished  by 
J  P.  Norris,  Esq.,  of  Philadelphia,  are  of  a  pale  creamy- 
white  color,  with  a  few  thin  spots  of  reddish-brown  scattered 
over  their  larger  end.  They  vary  in  size  from  .78  inch  in 
length  by  about  .56  inch  in  breadth,  to  .72  inch  in  length 
by  55  inch  in  breadth.  The  form  is  like  that  of  U.  trailhi ; 
but  the  spots  are  larger  and  more  numerous. 


08C1NE8.      SINGINU    BHUW. 


14ft 


SUB-ORDER  OSCINES.     Sinoinq  Binns. 

To.,  three  anterior,  one  behind,  .11  .t  «>«  wme  level,  and  none  Tematile,  the 
outJr'u  or  never  entirely  tVeeto  the  ba.«;  tail  feather,  twelve;  P^-r'-;  «"'  - 
nte  only,  or  cl,e  the  fln,t  i.  .puriou.  or  much  shorter  th.n  the  .e«.n..,  mak.nK  1 . 

"en  h-  t^l  f-ll'«"  -»"y  '-'-'  «""'  '■•'»"^''""'  '"  ""  '"""•  '^"  r  .Ion    ? 

Intl  ior  face  either  funed  into  one  or  with  di.tinot  divl.lcn.,  the  ponter'or  port.on  of 
th  r«.  eovld  by  one  eontinnou.  plate  on  either  .hie.  meetin„  n  a  M.arp  ed«e 
be  .i  or  with  only  a  few  division,  inferiorly.  Occasionally,  the  hinder  «.de  ha. 
t«n  ve'rse  nTa  es  coLsponding  In  number  to  the  anterior-,  but  there  arc  then  usually 
iTne  on  th«  2  Ury'T.x  provided  with  a  peculiar  muscular  apparatus  for  .in«.ng. 
composed  of  Uve  pair,  of  muucle.. 


n 


■ 


Familt  TURDIDiE.     The  Thrushes. 

The  foUowinB  characteristics  of  this  ftmlly  and  its  genera,  repre-ented  In  New 
EnH  nd  are  aiven  by  Trofcosor  Spencer  F.  Kalrd,  in  his  recent  '  Kevlcw  of  the 
2.  of"  North  AmeHca,"  published  in  the  Smithsonian  Miscell.n^u,  Collec 

''°""  Primaries  ten,  the  first  of  whicn  I.  either  spurious  or  much  shorter  than  the 
second  The  bill  is  elongated  and  subulate,  moderately  slender,  and  usually  notched 
at  ip  nostrils  uncovered,  the  culmen  moderately  curved  i^om  the  base  «.d  the 
mouth  well  provided  with  bristles,  except  in  a  few  ca«=,.  Usually,  the  scutell» 
Tvering  the  front  and  sides  of  the  tarsus  are  fused  into  <'"«'^<»-»'"'«'"«  P""«' °' J' 
scare  ly  appreciable,  except  on  the  inner  edge  only,  in  'heMock>rg  Thrush  s  they 
rrhowever,  di.tin  tly  marked.  The  lateral  toes  are  neariy  equal,  the  outer  rath  r 
re'longer."    These  general  characteristics  apply  also  to  the  Sax.coi.fa,  more  fully 

nrepe::ira:XSis3;f  thefa^  Tur^  are:  "  Wing,  moderate,  more 
rouid!not  reaching  beyond  middle  of  the  often  rounded  Uil,  and  not  more  than 
one  and  a  third  the  latter,  usually  more  neariy  equal.  Spurious  P"7'T,'.ome^'"e» 
haU  the  length  of  second  quill,  the  «=cond  quill  shorter  than  the  fourta  In  the 
closed  wing,  the  outer  secondary  reaches  three-fourths  or  more  the  length  of  longest 

''"  pSL  Baird  divide,  this  family  into  the  .ub-familie.  Turdif;^,  which  have 
"U^rcoTered  anteriorly  with  a  continuou.  plate,"  and  the  3fim.n».  whose  Ur.. 
are  KUtellate  anteriorly;  Bcutellse  seven. 


Sub-Family  Titbdin*. 


Nctril.  oval;  bristles  along  the  base  of  the  b!'!  from  gape  to  nostnls,  those  of 
rictrnot  rLhi'ng  beyond  nostrils,  the  loral  feathers  with  bristly  pomts;  second 
quiU  longer  than  sixth;  outer  lateral  toes  longer;  wmgs  long. 


Mm 


tmm 


iiMiir'''rfriii,irmt  ■■'-■'•--•; 


n 


146 


OENJTHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


TURDTJS,  LiNN^us. 

Turdm,  LiNN^US,  SyBt.  Nat.  (1735).  "{Tj-pe  T.  t-Ucivoru.,  f.de  G.  R.  Gray.) 
Bill  rather  stout;  commissure  straight  to  near  the  tip,  which  is  quite  Abruptly 
decurved,  and  usually  distinctly  notched;  culmen  gently  ^"f^^.f;™  '''"^' ;' 
shorter  than  the  head,  both  outlines  curved ;  tarsi  longer  than  the  middle  toe ;  ktera 
toes  nearly  equal,  outer  longer,  wings  much  longer  than  the  tai  ,  PO>.f«d  ;»'«««' 
quill  spurious  and  very  small,  not  one-fourth  the  length  of  longest;  tail  short,  nearly 
even,  or  slightly  emarginate. 

TUEDUS  MUSTELIHtJS.  — GmeSn. 
X  The  Sons:  Thrush ;  Wood  Thrush.  - 
T,irdus  ««.«Kn«»,  Gmelin.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1788)  817.    Nutt.  Man.,  I.  (1832)  348. 
And.  Cm.  Biog.,  I.  (1832)  372;  V.  (1839)  446. 

Tardus  melodus,  Wilson.    Am.  Cm.,  I.  (1808)  35,  pi.  n. 

DESCRimON. 

Above,  dear  cinnamon-brown,  on  the  top  of  the  head  becoming  more  rufous,  <  n 
tlie  rump  and  tail  olivaceous;  the  under  parts  are  clear-white,  sometimes  tinged  with 
buff  on  the  bH«st  or  anteriorly,  and  thickly  marked  beneath,  except  on  the  chin 
and  Uiroat,  and  about  Uie  vent  and  tail  coverts,  with  sub-triangular,  sharply  dehned 
spots  of  blackish;  the  sides  of  the  head  are  dark-brown,  streaked  with  white  and 
there  is  also  a  maxillary  series  of  streaks  on  each  side  of  the  throat,  the  central  por- 
tion  of  which  sometimes  has  indications  of  small  spots. 

Length,  eight  and  ten-liundredths  inches:  wing,  four  and  twenty-five  one-han- 
dredths;  tail,  three  and  five  one-hundredths,  tarsus,  one  and  twenty-six.  one- 

hundredths.  t  x    /^     »  _  i- 

Ja*.- Eastern  United  States  to  Missouri  River,  south  to  Guatemala. 

THIS  beautiful  songster  is  a  pretty  common  summer 
inhabitant  of  Massachusetts,  Connecticut,  and  Rhode 
Island.  In  the  other  New-England  States,  it  is  rarely  seen ; 
and  when  we  hear  of  a  Song  Thrush  occurring  there,  refer- 
ence is  probably  made  either  to  the  Hermit  or  Olive-backed 
Thrush.  It  arrives  from  the  South  about  the  10th  of  May, 
both  sexes  making  their  appearance  at  about  the  same  time. 
They  soon  commence  pairing,  and  frequent  the  moist  thick- 
ets and  thickly  wooded  glens,  where  their  amours  are  con- 
ducted in  privacy  and  peace. 

At  this  season,  the  beautiful  song  of  the  male  is  heard  at 
early  dawn  and  early  twilight :  it  seldom  sings  in  the  middle 
of  the  day,  unless  the  weather  is  dark  and  cloudy.  This 
song  is  a  beautiful,  melancholy  strain,  similar  to  the  tone 


"-J'Wmil^/^^'' 


THE   SONG   THRUSH. 


147 


III 


produced  on  a  flute :  the  notes  are  difficult  of  description. 
Mr.  Nuttall,  who  was  particularly  happy  in  his  descriptions 
of  bird-songs,  speaks  of  this  as  follows  :  — 

"The  prelude  to  this  song  resembles  almost  the  double-tonguing 
of  the  flute,  blended  with  a  tinkling,  shrill,  and  solemn  warble, 
which  re-echoes  from  his  solitary  retreat  like  the  dirge  of  some  sad 
recluse,  who  shuns  the  busy  haunts  of  life.  The  whole  air  consists 
usually  of  four  parts,  or  bars,  which  succeed,  in  deliberate  time, 
and  finally  blend  together  in  impressive  and  soothing  harmony, 
becoming  more  mellow  and  sweet  at  every  repetition.  Rival  {ser- 
formers  seem  to  challenge  each  other  from  various  parts  of  the 
wood,  vying  for  the  favor  of  their  mates  with  sympathetic  respon- 
ses and  softer  tones.  And  some,  waging  a  jealous  strife,  terminate 
the  warm  dispute  by  an  appeal  to  combat  and  violence.  Like  the 
Robin  and  the  Thrasher,  ia  dark  and  gloomy  weather,  when  other 
birds  are  sheltered  and  silent,  the  clear  notes  of  the  Wood  Thrush 
are  heard  through  the  dropping  woods,  from  dawn  to  dusk ;  so  that, 
the  sadder  the  day,  the  sweeter  and  more  constant  is  his  song.  His 
clear  and  interrupted  whistle  is  likewise  often  nearly  the  only  voice 
of  melody  heard  by  the  traveller,  to  mid-day,  in  the  heat  of  sum- 
mer, as  he  traverses  the  silent,  dark,  and  wooded  wilderness,  remote 
from  the  haunts  of  men.  It  is  nearly  impossible  by  words  to  con- 
vey any  idea  of  the  peculiar  warble  of  this  vocal  hermit;  but, 
amongst  his  phrases,  the  sound  of  'airoee,  peculiarly  liquid,  and 
followed  by  a  trill,  repeated  in  two  separate  bars,  is  readily  recog- 
nizable. At  times,  their  notes  bear  a  considerable  resemblance  to 
those  of  Wilson's  Thrush:  such  as  eh  rhehu  'vrhrhu,  then  varied 
to  'eh  villia  viUia,  'eh  villia  vrhehu,  then  'eh  veiv.  viUu,  high  and 
shrill." 

About  the  20th  of  May,  the  Song  Thrush  builds  its  nest. 
This  is  placed  usually  in  a  low  alder  or  birch  shrub,  in  a 
retired  locality,  almost  always  in  the  deep  woods.  It  is 
composed  outwardly  of  gruss,  leaves,  and  weeds,  bent  and 
twined  together.  In  this  is  built  a  nest  composed  of  mud 
and  grass,  and  the  whole  is  lined  with  fibrous  roots  and  soft 
grass  and  moss.  It  is  placed  on  a  low  branch  of  a  tree,  or 
in  the  branches  of  a  shrub.     I  give  Wilson's  description  of 


t  ■ 


148 


c 


( 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND   OOLOGY. 


the  ne8t,  not,  because  it  is  essentially  different  from  my  own, 
but  to  confirm  my  own  observation,  and  to  help  clear  up 
the  confusion  that  exists  in  many  districts  concernmg  the 
identity  of  the  thrushes.    It  is  as  follows : — 

«  The  favorite  haunts  of  the  Wood  Thrush  are  low,  thick-;haded 
hollows,  through  which  a  small  brook  or  rill  meanders,  overhung 
with  cedar-bushes  that  are  mantled  with  wild  vmes.     Near  such 
scene,  he  generally  builds  his  nest  in  a  laurel  or  alder  bush.    Out- 
wardly, it  is  composed  of  withered  beech-leaves  of  the  precedmg 
year  laid  at  bottom  in  considerable  quantities,  no  doubt  to  proven 
damp  and  moisture  from  ascending  through,  being  g^^^ly J^^'^' 
in  low,  wet  situations :  above  these  are  layers  of  knotty  stolks  or 
withered  grass,  mixed  with  mud,  and  smoothly  plastered,  above 
which  is  laid  a  slight  lining  of  fine  black  fibrous  root«  of  plants. 

The  eggs  are  usually  four  in  number ;  they  are  of  a  uni- 
form light-blue  color,  without  spots,  and  with  a  very  slight 
tint  of  green ;  their  form  is  rather  long  and  pomted.  Ihe 
following  are  the  dimensions  of  a  nest  complement  of  four 
eggs,  found  in  Milton,  Mass. :  1.12  by  .68  inch,  1.12  by  .69 
inch!  1.07  by  70  inch,  1  by  .73  inch.  But  one  brood  is 
usually  reared  in  the  season  in  New  England. 


TUEDUS  PALIiASII.—Ca Jom». 
The  Hermit  Thrush. 

r«rdt«paZfa«ii,Cabani8.    Wiegginan's  Archiv.  (1847),  L  206.  _.     ,^,^ 

?;r*««iiJar««,  Wilson.    Am.  Cm.,  V.  (1812)  95  (not  of  L,nn»u.    The  figure 

quoted  pi.  xHii.  fig.  2,  belongs  to  T.  S«ai«<»ii).    Aud.  Syn.  (1889).    /6.,B.rd. 

^-^iS.'il:    Ob..  Wnson  (1825).  K.  T2^  n    Sjn^  (-8).  75. 
Nutt.  Man.,  L  (1880)  846.    Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  L  (1881)  808,  V.  446,  pi.  68. 

Descbiptioh. 
Fourth  quill  longest;  third  and  fourth  a  litUe  shorter;  second  about  equal  to  th^ 
•  th  Slut  a  AiS  of  an  inch  shorter  than  the  longest);  tail  slightly  emargi- 
ZZ-  ibove  Ugh*  ot^^wn,  with  a  scarcely  perceptible  shade  of  reddish  pacing 
how^verTnto  decided  rufous  on  the  nunp,  upper  tail  coverts,  and  ta.l  and  to  a  le  . 
Se  onTe  outer  surface  of  the  wings,  beneath  white,  with  a  scarcely  apprecUb  e 
S  orpale-buff  across  the  fore  part  of  the  breast,  and  somet.mes  on  the  throat 
the  rid  s'^of  the  throat  and  the  fore  part  of  the  breast  with  rather  sharply  defined 


^^^^igggg^fsummmmmm 


•mm* 


•  s  • 


i- 


THE   HEBMIT  THRUSH. 


149 


lubtriangulnr  spots  of  dark  olive-brown ;  the  sides  of  the  breast  with  paler  and  lest 
distinct  spots  of  the  same;  sides  of  tlie  body  under  the  wings  of  a  paler  shade  than 
the  back ;  a  whitish  ring  round  the  eye ;  ear  coverts  very  obscurely  streaked  with 
paler. 

Length,  seven  and  fifty  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  three  and  eighty-four  one- 
hundredths;  tail,  three  and  twenty-five  one-hundredths;  tarsus,  one  and  sixteen 
one-hundredths. 

Hab.  —  Eastern  North  America  to  the  Mississippi  River. 

This  bird,  although  not  so  well  known  in  Massachusetts, 
Connecticut,  and  Rhode  Island,  is  quite  familiar  to  the 
people  of  the  other  States  in  New  England.  It  arrives  from 
the  South  about  the  middle  of  April,  and  passes  leisurely 
to  the  North,  where  it  arrives  about  the  middle  of  May. 
It  very  seldom  breeds  in  any  districts  south  of  the  latitude 
of  the  middle  of  Maine ;  and  from  thence  north  it  is  quite 
abundant,  where  it  is  known  by  the  name  of  the  Swamp 
Robin.  I  have  been  so  fortunate  as  to  find  several  nests 
of  this  species ;  and  they  were  all  built  in  very  low  scrubby 
trees  or  bushes,  quite  near  the  ground.  They  were  com- 
posed of  twigs,  grasses,  mosses,  and  leaves ;  they  were 
deeply  hollowed,  and  no  mud  was  used  in  their  composition, 
as  with  several  other  species;  they  were  lined  with  soft 
grasses,  mosses,  and  fine  fibrous  roots.  The  eggs  were,  in 
one  nest,  three  in  number ;  and,  in  the  others,  four.  This  was 
about  the  10th  of  June.  The  localities  were  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Lake  Umbagog  and  in  the  valley  of  the  Magal- 
loway  River,  in  Maine.  The  eggs  of  this  species  are  of  a 
somewhat  elongated  oval  form,  and  their  color  is  a  light- 
blue  with  a  very  faint  tint  of  green :  "  about  one  in  every 
four  has  very  thinly  scattered  spots  of  reddish-brown,  and 
occasionally  one  is  met  with  having  an  abundance  of 
coarser  spots  of  two  shades  of  brown."  Dimensions 
of  specimens  from  various  localities  vary  from  .92  by  .65 
to  .88  by  .60  inch. 

Mr.  C.  L.  Paine,  of  Randolph,  Vt.,  writes  me  that  he  has 
found  numbers  of  the  nests  of  this  bird,  and  that  they  were 
invariably  built  on  the  ground.    He  a,l80  says  that  the  eggs 


160 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


are  always  blue  in  color,  and  he  has  never  met  with  one 
that  was  spotted  in  any  manner.  I  have  quite  a  number 
of  specimens  in  my  collection,  and  mt  one  is  spotted.  1 
have  also  seen  many  others,  and  they  were  not  marked;  and 
I  think  that  the  above  quotation  must  be  received  with  cau- 
tion. A  nest  sent  me  from  Upton,  Me.,  is  composed  almost 
entirely  of  mosses.     It  contains  five  eggs,  all  unspotted. 

Mr  Paine  writes  me  that  the  Olive-backed  Thrush  breeds 
in  his  neighborhood,  which,  with  the  other,  are  the  only 
thrushes  breeding  there.     In  answer  to  his  remark  that 
the  Hermit  Thrush  always  builds  on  the  ground,  I  can  only 
say  that  I  found  the  nests  as  above.    I  have  noticed  that 
the  Tawny  or  Wilson's  Thrush  builds  on  the  ground  in 
Bome  localities  and  in  bushes  in  others,  and  conclude  that 
the  Hermit  is  also  variable  in  its  choice  of  a  nesting-place. 
The  habits,  song,  and  general  characteristics  of  this  bird 
Are  almost  exactly  similar  to  those  of  the  Song  Thrush. 
Its  song  resembles  it  so  much,  that  I  always  supposed  the 
bird  was  the  same,  until  I  examined  some  of  them  that  1 
heard  singing,  when  I  found  my  mistake.     About  the 
middle  of  October,  the  last  individuals  that  are  seen  in 
Massachusetts  leave  for  the  Souta.     At  this  time,  as  in  the 
spring,  they  are  silent  and  shy:  their  note  is  a  faint  chirp, 
uttered  in  a  listless,  melancholy  tone ;  and  their  whole 
appearance  is  in  keeping  with  the  great  change  whidi  has 
come  over  the  face  of  Nature.    In  fact,  the  Hermit  Thrush 
is  always  associated  in  my  mind  with  the  falling  of  leaves, 
the  rattling  of  acorns,  and  the  whirring  of  the  Rufted 
Grouse  through  the  birches  and  alders  of  the  swampy 
glens. 

TUEDUS  niSCESCEHS.  — S<«P*«M- 
/The  Tawny  Thrush;  WUson's  Thrush.-' 
Turdus  fuscetcem,  Stephens.    ShaWs  Zool.  Birds,  X.  (1817)  182.    Gray,  Gener. 

'1849) 

"     Turdu»  mu»teUn«>,  Wilson.    Am.  Cm.,  V.  (1812)  98  (not  of  6m.). 

Turdm  WUsanii,  Nuttall.    Man.,  L  a882)  i'.'J.   Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  II.  (1884)  862, 
V.  446.    lb.,  Birds  Am.,  III.  (1841)  27,  pi.  146. 


"  jmH]miiii»ii.ij>|i)mn« 


■  iiluimi.itniiU'l  111*"— 


i 


THE  TAWNY  THRUSH. 


151 


Description. 

Third  quill  longest,  fourth  i  little  shorter,  second  nearly  a  quarter  of  an  Inch 
longer  than  the  fifth ;  above,  and  on  sides  of  head  and  neck,  nearly  uniform  light 
reddish-brown,  with  a  faint  tendency  to  orange  on  the  crown  and  tail;  beneath 
white,  the  fore  part  of  the  breast  and  throat  (paler  on  the  chin)  tinged  with  pale 
brownish-yellow,  in  decided  contract  to  the  white  of  the  belly;  the  sides  of  the 
throat  and  the  fore  part  of  the  breast,  as  colored,  are  marked  with  smnll  triangular 
spots  of  light-brownish,  nearly  like  the  back,  but  not  well  defined;  there  are  a  few 
obsolete  blotches  on  the  sides  of  the  breast  (in  the  white)  of  pale-olivaceous,  the 
Bides  of  the  body  tinged  with  the  same;  tibial  white;  the  lower  mandible  is  brown- 
ish only  at  the  tip;  the  lores  are  ash-colored. 

Length,  Be^en  and  fifty  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  four  and  twenty-flve  one- 
hundredths;  tail,  three  and  twenty  one-hundredths  inches ;  tarsus,  one  and  twenty 
one-hundredths. 

ZTh*.  — Eastern  North  America  to  the  Missouri,  north  to  flir  countries. 

This  species  is  well  distinguished  among  the  American  thrushes  by  the  indis- 
tinctness of  the  spots  beneath,  and  their  being  confined  mainly  to  the  fore  part  of 
the  breast.  In  some  specimens,  there  is  a  faint  tendency  to  a  more  vivid  color  on 
the  rump;  but  this  is  usually  like  the  back,  which  is  very  nearly  tbc  color  of  the 
rump  in  T.  paUam, 

This  quite  common  species  is  a  summer  inhabitant  of 
southern  New  England.  It  is  quite  abundant  until  we  reach 
the  southern  portions  of  Maine,  New  Hampshire,  and  Ver- 
mont, when  it  begins  to  grow  less  common  until  we  reach  the 
latitude  of  the  middle  of  these  States,  where  it  begins  to  be 
replaced  by  the  Hermit  Thrush,  and  soon  ceases  to  occur  to 
the  north  of  this  latitude.  It  makes  its  appearance  from 
the  South  about  the  first  week  in  May,  often  earlier,  and 
commences  building  about  the  20th  of  May.  The  nest  is 
placed  occasionally  in  a  low  shrub,  or  tangled  clump  of 
briers,  usually  on  the  ground.  The  situation  is  retired, 
often  in  the  depths  of  the  woods.  The  nest  is  constructed 
of  grass,  leaves,  and  weeds ;  in  some  cases,  the  outer  bark 
of  the  grape-vine  is  the  principal  material  used :  it  is  quite 
thoroughly  made,  and  is  deeply  hollowed,  and  lined  with 
fine  roots  and  horsehair.  The  eggs  are  usually  four  in 
number,  sometimes  five  ;  their  color  is  bluish-green,  deeper 
than  that  of  the  eggs  of  the  Hermit  Thrush,  but  not  so  dark 
as  in  those  of  the  Cat  Bird ;  their  form  is  generally  an  oval, 
sometimes  lengthened  and  sharpened;  their  average  size  is 


152 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


about  .90  by  .66  inch.  As  in  many  other  eggs,  the  longest 
gpecimeus  are  not  always  the  broadest.  Tlie  following  are 
the  dimensions  of  four  eggs,  taken  at  random  from  a  large 
number  of  this  species :  .92  by  .64  inch,  .88  by  .64  inch, 
.86  by  .66  inch,  .87  by  .67  inch. 

From  the  first  arrival  of  this  bird,  during  its  whole  stay 
here,  it  seems  to  prefer  the  neighborhood  of  a  swampy  wood 
for  its  home.     There,  during  the  mating  and  incubating 
seasons,  the  notes  of  the  male  may  be  heard  at  the  earliest 
hours  of  the  morning  and  evening ;  and,  in  cloudy  weather, 
through  the  day,  and  sometimes  in  the  night.     The  song  is 
a  peculiar  one,  with  a  singular  metallic  ring,  exceedingly 
difficult  to   describe:   it  begins  qixite  loud,  the  syllables 
chSHry,  cUiiry,  chidry,  chSHry,  decreasing  in  tone  to  a  quite 
faint  lisp;  then,  after  a  short  pause,  the  notes,  cheou  Hwit, 
tritter,  Hritter,  are  uttered  ;  and  the  whole  is  finished  usually 
with  the  ejaculation,  chichvhSu.     This   song  is  often  re- 
peated ;  and  sometimes  two  or  three  males,  perching  on  a 
low  shrub  or  tree,  emulate  each  other  in  a  musical  contest 
that  is  very  pleasing  to  hear.     This  thrush,  as  are  all  the 
others,  is  eminently  insectivorous ;  and  through  the  whole 
day  he  may  be  heard  busily  searching  among  the  fallen 
leaves  for  his  favorite  food. 

About  the  10th  of  September,  it  leaves  for  the  South :  at 
this  time,  like  most  of  the  others,  it  is  silent  and  retiring, 
and  is  found  only  in  localities  that  are  thickly  wooded  with 
a  groYTth  of  small  birches  arid  oaks. 

TUBDUS  SWAIHSOHU.— Ca6anw. 
The  Olire-baeked  Thrush;  Swainson's  Thnuh. 
Tttrdu$  Suxufiionu.    Cab.  in  Tschudi  F.  Peruana  (1844-46)  188. 
Turdui  tolitariiu,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  V. 

Description. 

Third  quill  longest,  second  and  fourth  but  little  shorter,  and  much  longer  than 

the  fifth  (by  thirty-five  one-hundredths  of  an  inch);  upper  parts  uniform  olivaceous, 

with  a  decided  shade  of  green;  the  fore  part  of  breast,  the  throat,  and  chin,  pale 

brownish-yellow;  rest  of  lower  parte  white,  the  sides  washed  with  brownish-oUves 


THE   OLIVE-BACKED   THRUSH. 


168 


sides  of  the  throat  and  fore  part  of  the  breast  with  sub-rounded  spots  of  well-defined 
brown,  darker  than  the  back;  the  rest  of  the  breast  (except  medially)  with  rather 
less  distinct  spots  that  are  more  olivaceous  j  tibite  yellowisb-brciwn ;  broad  ring  round 
the  eye;  loral  region,  and  a  general  tinge  on  the  side  of  the  head,  clear  reddish-buff. 

Length,  seven  inches;  wing,  four  and  fifteen  one-hundredths ;  tail,  three  and 
ten  one-hundredths  inches;   tarsus,  one  and  ten  one-hundredths. 

Hab.  —  Eastern  North  America  to  the  Black  Hills,  south  to  Mexico  and  Pern, 
north  to  Greenland.    Accidental  in  Europe  and  Siberia. 

This  species  is  at  once  distinguished  from  the  others  by  the  perfectly  uniform  and 
pure  dull-olivaceous  shade  of  iU  upper  parts,  most  strongly  marked  and  appreciable 
on  the  rump  and  tall.  The  throat  and  breast  are  perhaps  more  reddish  than  in  any 
of  our  species,  and  the  tinge  in  the  marking  on  the  side  of  the  head  is  very  much 
more  decided  than  in  any  other.  The  spots  on  the  breast  larger  than  in  T.  tutulalui, 
and  rather  more  numeroui!  than  in  pallasii. 

This  species  is  the  least  common  of  all  the  New-England 
thrushes.  It  is  rarely  observed  in  its  passage  through  the 
southern  portions  of  these  States,  and  only  begins  to  choose 
a  home  for  the  summer  on  arriving  at  the  northern  districts. 
I  have  looked  for  it  repeatedly,  but  have  not  been  able  to 
find  it  south  of  the  latitude  of  Lake  Umbagog,  in  the  breed- 
ing season;  and  even  there  it  is  not  often  met  with.  It 
arrives  in  the  localities  where  it  breeds  about  the  first  week 
in  June.  In  common  with  the  Hermit  Thrush,  it  is  called 
the  "  Swamp  Robin,"  and  can  hardly  be  distinguished  from 
that  bird,  either  by  its  song,  which  is  beautiful,  or  by  its 
breeding  habits  or  nests.  The  «ggs  are  difierent,  being  of  a 
deeper  green  color :  they  are  always  (so  far  as  my  experi- 
ence goes)  thinly  spotted  with  dots  and  blotches  of  reddish 
and  brown.  The  following  are  the  dimensions  of  four  eggs 
that  I  found  in  a  nest  near  Wilson's  Mills,  Me.,  on  the  16th 
of  June,  1864 :  .93  by  .64  inch,  .93  by  .63  inch,  .92  by  .60 
inch,  .90  by  .61  inch. 

The  only  difference  in  the  habits  of  this  species  from  those 
of  the  Hermit  Thrush  is,  that,  while  the  latter  is  most  usually 
found  in  swampy  localities,  the  other  is  most  often  seen  in 
dry,  scrubby  woods,  where  it  is  almost  always  busily  engaged 
in  the  pursuit  of  its  favorite  insect  food. 

J.  A.  Allen,  in  his  paper  on  the  birds  of  Springfield, 
Mass.,  before  referred  to,  is  of  the  opinion  that  this  species 


I- 1 


MtMMMNi 


154 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


and  the  Tardus  alicice  are  the  same.  In  a  conversation  with 
Professor  Baird,  since  the  issue  of  Allen's  paper,  I  was  in- 
formed, that,  in  a  large  suite  of  specimens  of  both  species, 
to  which  he  had  access,  he  could  identify  each  by  character- 
istics so  fixed  that  any  confusion  was  impossible :  he  was 
of  the  opinion  that  Mr.  Allen  had  not  seen  the  bird  he  calls 
alieice.  I  have  therefore  not  given  that  species  as  a  bird  of 
New  England,  and  think  that  it  yet  remains  to  be  proved  as 

such. 
Dr.  Bryant,  in  describing  the  habits  of  the  Olive-backed 

Thrush,  says: — 

"Its  note  differs  entirely  from  that  of  T.  pallasii,  and  the  birds 
also  differ  very  much  in  their  habits ;  the  latt«r  species  being  gen- 
erally seen  on  the  ground,  while  the  Olive-backed  Thrush  prefers' 
to  procure  its  food  among  the  branches.  The  one  seen  at  Big  Mud 
Lake,  Grand  Manan,  was  perched  on  the  top  of  a  small  dwarf-fir, 
and  was  liunting  the  passing  bisects  with  all  the  dexterity  of  a 
typical  Flycatcher." 

TURDUS  MIGEATOaiUS.  — iinweu*. 
/  The  Eobin.  — 

Turdut  migraUrriui,  Linnieus.    Syst.  Nat,  I.  (1766)  292.    Wilson,  Am.  Om.,  L 
(1808)  85.    Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  IL  (1834)  190. 

Merula  migratoria^  Sw.  and  Rich.    Fauna  Bor.  Amer.,  II.  (1881)  176. 

Description. 
Third  and  fourth  quills  about  equal,  fifth  a  little  shorter,  second  longer  than 
Bixth;  tail  slightly  rounded;  above  olive-gray,  top  and  sides  of  the  head  black j 
chin  and  throat  white,  streaked  with  black;  eyelids,  and  a  spot  above  the  eye  an- 
teriorly, white;  uijder  parts  and  inside  of  the  wings  chestnut-brown;  the  under  tell 
coverts  and  anal  region  with  tibiae  white,  showing  the  plumbeous  inner  portions  of 
the  feathers;  wings  dark-brown,  the  feathers  all  edged  more  or  less  with  pale-ash; 
tail  still  darker,  the  extreme  feathers  tipped  with  white ;  bUl  yellow,  dusky  along  the 

ridge  and  at  the  tip.  .       .  .  ,  _x.  .u 

Length,  nine  and  seventy-five  one-hundredths  inches;  wmg,  five  and  forty-three 

one-hundredths;  tail,  four  and  seventy-five  one-hundredths  inches;  tarsus,  one  and 

twenty-five  one-hundredths. 

J^ai.  —  Continent  of  North  America  to  Mexico. 

It  is  very  seldom  that  specimens  exhibit  the  colors  exactly  a«  described.    Nearly 

always  in  winter,  and  in  most  cases  at  other  times,  the  rufous  feathers  ar6  margined 

with  whiUsh.  sometunes  quite  obscnrinR  the  color.    The  black  feathers  of  the  head. 


J-4U..iJ.JJj.lJ-l-  -ll'-l.. 


1\ 


THE   ROBIN. 


156 


too,  have  brownish  edging*.  The  white  spot  above  the  eye  sometimes  extends  for- 
wards towards  the  nostrils,  but  is  usually  quite  restricted.  The  white  patches  on 
the  two  eyelids  are  separated  from  each  other,  anteriorly  and  posteriorly. 

This  very  common  and  well-known  bird  is  a  summer  in- 
habitant of  all  New  England,  and,  in  mild  winters,  remains 
in  the  southern  districts  of  these  States  through  the  year. 
The   great  body   of   Iho 
birds,     however,     arrive 
from    the    South    about 
the    middle    of    March. 
They    commence    build- 
ing from  the  middle  of 
April   to  the  first  week 
in  May,  according  to  lati- 
tude.    The  nest  is  built 
more  often  in  the  trees  of 
the  orchards  and  gardens,  near  houses,  than  m  the  deep 
woods.    It  is  a  large,  elaborately  built  affair,  constructed  first 
of  a  thick  layer  of  straws,  weeds,  roots,  and  mosses :  on  this 
is  built  the  nest  proper,  which  is  made  of  straws  and  weeds, 
woven  together  in  a  circular  form,  and  plastered  together 
with  mud;  this  is  lined  with  soft  grasses  and  moss,  the 
whole  making  a  durable  structure,  often  holding  together 
through  the  entire  year.    The  eggs  are  usually  four  in  num- 
ber :  their  color  is  a  beautiful  greenish-blue,  almost  the  same 
as  that  of  the  Wood  Thrush's  egg,  which  they  resemble  in 
shape,  except  they  are  a  trifle  broader.    Dimensions  of  a 
nestrcomplement  of  four  eggs :  1.16  by  .82  inch,  1.16  by  .82 
inch,  1.10  by  .75  inch,  1.10  by  .80  inch.    Many  cases  occur, 
in  the  southern  districts  of  New  England,  of  two  broods 
being  reared  in  the  season,  and  I  have  known  of  three 
broods  being  reared  in  Massachusetts ;  but,  in  the  northern 
districts,  I  think  that  the  second  brood  is  the  exception, 
instead  of  the  rule. 

Perhaps  none  of  our  birds  are  more  unpopular  with  horti- 
culturists than  this ;  and  I  will  here  give  the  observations 


nttC" 


156 


OUNITHOLOay   AND   OOLOuY. 


of  difforont  scientific  men,  and  my  own,  to  show  that  the 
prejudice  against  the  bird  is  unjust  and  unfounded.     Mr. 
Trouvelot,  of  Mcdford,  Mass.,  who  is  engaged  in  rearing 
Hilkworms,  for  the  production  of  silk,  is  troubled  by  the 
Robin  to  a  degree  surpassing  most  other  birds.     Ho  has  a 
tract  of  about  seven  or  eight  acres  enclosed,  and  mostly 
covered  with  netting.     He  is  obliged,  in  self-defence,  to  kill 
the  birds  which  penetrate  into  the  enclosure  and  destroy  the 
worms.     Through  the  season,  probably  ten  robins,  for  one 
of  all  others,  thus  molest  him ;  and,  of  scores  of  these  birds 
which  ho  has  opened  and  examined,  none  had  any  fruit  or 
berries  in  their  stomachs,  —  nothing  but  insect?.     It  i?  to 
be  understood  that  this  was  not  in  a  part  of  the  summer 
when  berries  were   unripe:   on   the   contrary,   it  was   all 
through  the  season.     His  land  is  surrounded  with  scrub- 
oaks  and   huckleberry-bushes.     These  latter  were  loaded 
with  fruit,  which  was  easier  of  access  to  the  birds  than  the 
worms ;  but  none  were  found  in  them.     He  says  they  came 
from  all  quarters  to  destroy  his  silkworms,  and  gave  him 
more  trouble  than  all  the  other  birds  together.    He  said 
that,  in  his  opinion,  if  the  birds  were  all  killed  off,  vegetar 
tion  would  be  entirely  destroyed.    To  test  the  destructive- 
ness  of  these  marauders,  as  he  regarded  them,  he  placed  on 
a  small  scrub-oak  near  his  door  two  thousand  of  his  silk- 
worms.    (These,  let  me  say,  resemble,  when  small,  the 
young  caterpillar  of  the  apple-tree  moth.)     In  a  very  few 
days  they  were  all  eaten  by  Cat-birds  and  Robins,  —  birds 
closely  allied,  and  of  the  same  habits.     This  was  in  the 
berry  season,  when  an  abundance  of  this  kind  of  food  was 
easily  accessible;  but  they  preferred  his  worms.     Why? 
Because  the  young  of  these,  as  well  as  those  of  most  other 
birds,  must  be  fed  on  animal  food.    Earthworms  assist  in 
the  regimen ;  but  how  often  can  birds  like  the  Robin,  Cat- 
bird, Thrush,  &c. ,  get  these  ?    Any  farmer  knows,  that,  when 
the  surface  of  the  ground  is  dry,  they  go  to  the  subsoil,  out 
of  the  reach  of  birds ;  and  it  is  not  necessary  here  to  say 


THE   ROBIN. 


tr,7 


what  proportion  of  tho  timo  tlio  ground  is  very  dry  through 
the  summor.  Catcrpillurs,  grubs  of  various  kinds,  and 
insects,  thorcforo  constituto  tho  chief  food  of  those  birds ; 
and  of  tlicse,  caterpillars  and  grubs  being  the  most  al)un- 
dant,  and  most  easily  caught,  furnish,  of  course,  tho  larger 
proportion. 

In  fact,  tho  Thrushes  seem  designed  by  nature  to  rid  tho 
surface  of  tho  soil  of  noxious  insects  not  often  pursued  by 
most  other  birds.     The  warblers  capture  the  insects  that 
prey  on  the  foliage  of  tho  trees  ;  tho  flycatchers  seize  these 
insects  as  they  fly  from  tho  trees;   the  swallows  capture 
those  which  have  escaped  all  these  ;  tho  woodpeckers  destroy 
them  when  in  the  larva  state  in  the  wood ;  the  wrens,  nut- 
hatches, titmice,  and  creepers  eat  the  eggs  and  young  that 
live  on  and  beneath  the  bark ;  but  the  thrushes  subsist  on 
those  that  destroy  the  vegetation  on  the  surface  of  the  earth. 
They  destroy  nearly  all  kinds  of  grubs,  caterpillars,  and 
worms  that  live  upon  the  greensward  and  cultivated  soil, 
and  large  quantities  of  crickets  and  grasshoppers  before 
they  have  become  perfect  insects.     The  grubs  of  locusts, 
of  harvest-flies,  and  of  beetles,  which  are  turned  up  by  the 
plough  or  the  hoe,  and  their  pupae  when  emerging  from  the 
soil ;  apple-worms,  when  they  leave  the  fruit  and  crawl  about 
in  quest  of  new  shelter ;  and  those  subterranean  caterpillars, 
the  cutworms,  that  come  out  of  the  earth  to  take  their  food, — 
all  these,  and  many  othors,  are  eagerly  devourol   by  the 
Robin  and  other  Tlirushes.     The  cutworms  emerge  from 
the  soil  during  the  night  to  seek  for  food ;  and  the  Robin, 
which  is  one  of  the  earliest  birds  to  go  abroad  in  the  morn- 
ing, is  very  diligent  at  the  dawn  of  day  in  hunting  for  these 
vermin  before  they  have  gone  back  into  their  retreat.    The 
number  of  these  destructive  grubs  is  immense.     "  Whole 
cornfields,"  says  Dr.  Harris,  "  are  sometimes  laid  waste  by 
them.    Cabbage-plants,  till  they  are  grown  to  a  considerable 
size,  are  very  apt  to  be  cut  off  and  destroyed  by  them.    Po- 
tato-vines, beans,  beets,  'aid  various  other  culinary  plants, 


168 


ORNITHOLOQY    AND   OOLOOT. 


BtifTor  in  tho  samo  way."  The  sorvicoB  of  tho  robins,  in 
dcHtroying  tlicso  alono,  would  moro  than  pay  Ibr  all  tho  fruit 
thoy  devour.  ludeud,  during  tho  ijf coding  season,  a  robin  is 
Bcldoni  soon  without  liaving  in  his  mouth  ono  of  these  cator- 
pilliirs,  or  some  similar  grub,  which  ho  designs  for  his  young ; 
and  as  tho  Robin  often  raises  three  broods  of  young  duruig 
tho  season,  his  species  must  destroy  moro  of  this  class  of 
noxious  insects  than  almost  all  other  birds  together.  In 
my  own  g^udening  experiences,  I  have  had  my  full  share  of 
cutft  orms ;  and  1  have  always  noticed  tho  Robin,  Brown 
Tlinish,  and  Catrbird  busy  early  in  tho  morning, —  almost 
before  other  birds  are  out  of  their  feather-beds,  figuratively 
speaking,  —  catching  these  vermin  and  eating  them,  or 
carrying  them  for  food  to  their  young. 

To  show  further  tho  food  of  this  bird,  I  present  the  follow- 
ing experiment.  At  a  meeting  of  tho  Boston  Society  of 
Natural  History,  a  communication  was  road  from  Professor 
Treadwell,  of  Cambridge,  giving  a  detailed  account  of  tho 
feeding  and  growth  of  this  bird  during  a  period  of  thirty- 
two  days,  commencing  with  the  5th  of  Juno.  The  following 
is  the  substance  of  this  report :  — 

When  caught,  the  two  were  quite  young,  their  tail  feathers 
being  less  than  an  inch  in  length,  and  tho  weight  of  each 
about  twenty-five  pennyweights,  —  less  than  half  the  weight 
of  the  full-grown  birds :  both  were  plump  and  vigorous,  and 
had  evidently  been  very  recently  turned  out  of  tho  nest. 
He  began  feeding  them  with  earthworms,  giving  three  to 
each  bird  that  night.  The  second  day,  he  gave  them  ten 
worms  each,  which  they  ate  ravenously.  Thinking  this 
beyond  what  their  parents  could  naturally  supply  them  with, 
he  limited  them  to  this  allowance.  On  the  third  day,  he  gave 
them  eight  worms  each  in  the  forenoon  ;  but  in  the  afternoon 
he  found  one  becoming  feeble,  and  it  soon  lost  its  strength, 
refused  food,  and  died.  On  opening  it,  he  found  the  pro- 
ventriculus,  gizzard,  and  intestines  entirely  empty,  and  con- 
cluded therefore  that  it  died  from  want  of  sufficient  food ; 


THB   RODIN. 


150 


tho  ofTect  of  hunger  being  incroaHed  perhaps  by  the  cold, 
as  tho  thoriuoniutor  wim  ubout  sixty  licgroos. 

Tho  othor  Ifird,  still  vigorous,  ho  put  in  a  warninn  placo, 
and  increased  its  food,  giving  it  tho  tiiird  day  fifteen  worms, 
on  tho  fourth  day  twonty-four,  on  tiio  fifth  twenty-fivo,  on 
tho  sixth  thirty,  and  on  tho  seventh  thi;-ty-ono  worms.  Thoy 
gocmed  insniTiciont,  and  tho  bird  appeared  to  he  losing 
phimpncss  and  woight.  lie  began  to  weigh  both  tho  l)ird 
and  its  food,  and  tlu;  results  were  given  in  a  tal)ular  form. 
On  the  fifteenth  (lay,  ho  tried  a  small  quantity  of  raw  moat, 
and,  finding  it  readily  eaton,  incroasod  it  gradually,  to  tho 
exclusion  of  worms.  With  it  the  bird  ate  a  largo  quantity 
of  earth  and  gravel,  and  drank  freely  after  eating.  By  tho 
table,  it  !i|ipears  that  though  the  food  was  increased  to  forty 
worms,  weighing  twenty  pennyweights,  on  tlic  eleventh  day 
tho  w'iujit  of  tho  bird  rather  fell  off;  and  it  was  not  until 
the  fourteenth  day,  when  ho  ate  sixty-eight  worms,  or  thirty- 
four  pennyweights,  that  ho  began  to  increase.  On  this  day, 
tho  weight  of  tho  bird  was  twenty-  four  penny  weights :  he 
therefore  ate  forty-one  per  cent  more  than  his  own  weight 
in  twelve  hours,  weighing  after  it  tv;enty-nino  pennyweights, 
or  fifteen  per  cent  less  than  the  food  he  had  eatou  in  that 
time.  Tho  length  of  these  worms,  if  laid  end  to  end,  would 
bo  about  fourteen  feet,  or  ten  times  tho  length  of  tho  intes- 
tines. 

To  meet  the  objection,  that  tho  earthworm  contains  but  a 
small  quantity  of  nutritious  matter,  on  the  twenty-seventh 
day  he  was  fed  exclusively  on  clear  beef,  in  quantity  twenty- 
seven  pennyweights.  At  night,  the  bird  weighed  fifty-two 
pennyweights,  but  litl^e  more  than  twice  the  amount  of  flesh 
consumed  during  the  day,  not  taking  into  account  the  water 
and  earth  swallowed.  This  presents  a  wonderful  contrast 
with  the  amount  of  food  required  by  tho  cold-blooded  vor- 
tebrates,  fishes,  and  reptiles,  many  of  which  can  live  for 
months  without  food,  and  also  with  that  required  by 
mammalia.     Man,  at  this  rate,  would  eat  about  seventy 


160 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


pounds  of  flesh  a  day,  and  drink  five  or  six  gallons  of 

water. 

Tlie  question  immediately  presents  itself,  How  can  this 
immense  amount  of  food,  required  by  the  young  birds,  be 
supplied  by  the  parents?    Suppose  a  pair  of  old  robins,  with 
the  usual  number  of  four  young  ones.    These  would  require, 
according  to  the  consumption  of  this  bird,  two  hundred  and 
fifty  worms,  or  their  equivalent  in  insect  or  other  food,  daily. 
Suppose  the  parents  to  work  ten  hours,  or  six  hundred  min- 
utes, to  procure  this  supply :  this  would  be  a  worm  to  every 
two  and  two-fifths  minutes ;  or  each  parent  must  procure  a 
worm  or  its  equivalent  in  less  than  five  minutes  during  ton 
hours,  in  addition  to  the  food  required  for  its  own  support. 
After  the  thirty-second  day,  the  bird  had  attained  its  full 
size,  and  was  intrusted  to  the  care  of  another  person  during 
his  absence  of  eighteen  days.     At  the  end  of  that  period, 
the  bird  was  strong  and  healthy,  with  no  increase  of  weight, 
though  i1;s  feathers  had  grown  longer  and  smoother.     Its 
food  had  been  weighed  daily,  and  averaged  fifteen  penny- 
weights of  weight,  two  or  three  earthworms,  and  a  small 
quantity  of  broad  each  day,  the  whole  being  equal  to  eigh- 
teen pennyweights  of  meat,  or  thirty-six  pennyweights  of 
earthworms ;  and  it  continued  up  to  the  time  of  the  pres- 
entation of  the  report.     The  bird  having  continued  in  con- 
finement, with  certainly  much  less  exercise  than  in  the  wild 
state,  to  eat  one-third  of  its  weight  in  clear  flesh  daily,  the 
Professor  concludes  that  the  food  it  consumed  when  young 
was  not  much  more  than  must  always  be  provide'd  by  the 
parents  of  wild  birds.    The  food  was  never  passed  undi- 
gested; the  excretions  were  made  up  of  gravel  and  dirt, 
and  a  small  quantity  of  semi-solid  urine. 

He  thought  that  every  admirer  of  trees  may  derive  from 
these  facts  a  lesson,  showing  the  immense  power  of  birds 
to  destroy  the  insects  by  which  our  trees,  especially  our 
apple-trees,  elms,  and  lindens,  are  overy  few  years  stripped 
of  thour  foliage,  and  often  many  of  them  killed. 


mmt 


uiiMfmaM<j»«ffiKuNb7m<  A 


THE  ROBIN. 


161 


«  The  food  of  the  Robin,"  the  Professor  says,  "  while  with  us, 
consists  principally  of  worms,  various  insects,  their  larvte  and  eggs, 
and  a  few  cherries.  Of  worms  and  cherries  they  can  procure  but 
few,  and  those  during  but  'lort  period ;  and  they  are  obliged, 
therefore,  to  subsist  princ  y  upon  the  great  destroyers  of  leaves, 
—  canker-worms,  and  some  other  kinds  of  caterpillars  and  bugs.  If 
each  robin,  old  and  young,  requires  for  its  support  an  amount  of 
these  equal  to  the  weight  consumed  by  this  bird,  it  is  easy  to  see 
what  a  prodigious  havoc  a  few  hundred  of  these  must  make  upon 
the  insects  of  an  orchard  or  nursery." 

Wilson  Flagg,  an  acute  and  careful  observer  of  the  habits 
of  our  birds,  gives  some  of  his  experiences  of  the  Robin, 
as  follows.     He  says, — 

«  Before  I  had  investigated  the  habits  of  this  bird,  with  particular 
reference  to  the  service  he  renders  to  agriculture,  I  supposed  he 
was  only  of  secondary  importance,  compared  with  the  Blackbird 
and  others  that  possess  the  faculty  of  discover'ng  and  seizing  the 
grubs  that  lie  concealed  beneath  the  surface  of  the  ground.  Though 
the  Robin  does  not  possess  this  faculty,  he  is  pre-eminently  service- 
able in  other  ways ;  and  the  more  I  have  studied  his  habits,  the 
more  I  am  convinced  of  his  usefulness.  Indeed,  I  am  now  fully 
persuaded  tUat  he  is  valuable  beyond  all  other  species  of  birds,  and 
that  his  services  are  absolutely  indispensable  to  the  farmers  of  New 
England.  Jome  persons  believe  that  the  Robin  is  exclusively  a 
frugivorous  )ird,  and  that  for  fruit  he  will  reject  all  other  food  that 
is  within  his  reach.  Others  believe  that  his  diet  consists  about 
equally  of  fruits  and  angle-worms,  but  that  he  is  not  a  general  con- 
sumer of  insects.  The  truth  is,  the  Robin  i§  almost  exclusively 
insectivorous,  and  uses  fruit,  as  we  do,  only  as  a  dessert,  and  not 
for  his  subsistence,  except  in  the  winter,  when  his  insect  food  cannot 
be  obtained.  He  is  not  omnivorous,  like  the  Crow,  the  Jay,  and  the 
Blackbird.  He  rejects  farinaceous  food  unless  it  is  artificially  pre- 
pared, derives  almost  hii;  entire  support  from  insects  and  grubs,  and 
consumes,  probably,  a  greater 'variety  of  species  than  any  other 
bird.  I  am  entirely  at  a  loss  to  account  for  this  very  prevalent  and 
mist(\ken  notion  respecting  the  frugivorous  habits  of  the  Robin. 

11 


! 


« 


,:_ii 


i  a 


t  i 


111 


162 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


"Early  in  May,"  he  says,  "my  Bon  caught  and  caged  three 
young  Robins,  and  I  encouruged  him  in  the  act,  that  I  might  be 
enabled  to  study  their  habits  of  feeding.  He  commenced  by  feed- 
ing them  with  angle-worms  and  soaked  bread,  giving  them  the  latter 
very  sparingly.  They  soon  died,  evidently  from  an  excess  of  the 
farinaceous  part  of  their  diet.  He  then  took  thrae  others  from 
different  nests,  and  fed  them  more  exclusively  on  worms,  and  some 
fruit  Two  of  these  also  soon  died,  and  the  remaining  one  ap- 
peared ill  and  drooping.  I  suggested  that  the  bird  probably  needed 
insects  as  well  as  worms,  which  alone  were  not  sufficient  to  supply 
all  the  wants  of  the  system ;  though  he  had  access  to  cherries  and 
soaked  bread,  of  which  he  could  eat  whenever  he  wanted  them. 
After  this,  he  was  supplied  with  all  sorts  of  grubs  and  insects  which 
my  son  was  able  to  capture.  The  robin  devoured  these  indiscrimi- 
nately and  with  great  eagerness.  He  was  never  known  to  refuse  one 
of  any  description.  All  kinds  of  beetles,  moths,  bugs,  grubs,  vine- 
worms,  chrysalids,  and  caterpillars,  which  were  presented  to  him, 
he  devoured.  After  this  improvement  of  his  diet,  the  bird  soon 
recovered  his  health ;  and  the  experiment  proved  conclusively  that 
this  variety  of  insect  food  was  necessary  to  the  life  of  the  bird,  at 
least  while  he  was  young. 

"  These  insects  were  not  put  into  his  mouth :  they  were  placed 
upon  the  floor  of  his  cage,  and  he  picked  them  up,  killing  them  in 
a  way  that  showed  thai  he  knew  instinctively  how  to  manage  th«m. 

"  He  was  particular  in  beating  the  vine-worm  considerably  before 
he  swallowed  it ;  but  he  never  refused  one,  or  neglected  io  eat  it. 
On  one  occasion,  having  swallowed  a  hard  beetle,  and  finding  it 
incommodious,  he  threw  it  out  of  his  crop  by  a  voluntary  effort, 
beat  it  awhile  with  his  bill  against  the  floor,  and  then  swallowed  it. 
again.  This  fact  also  provedhis  instinctive  knowledge  of  the  mode 
of  proceeding  in  such  emergencies. 

"  It  is  a  fact  worthy  of  notice,  that  the  Baltimore  Oriole,  or 
Golden  Robin,  which  has  the  reputation  of  performing  more  ser- 
vice than  the  common  Robin,  may,  when  confined  in  a  cage,  be  fed 
almost  entirely  on  farinaceous  food,  without  injury  to  his  health. 
This  fact  is  good  evidence  that  the^common  Robin  is  more  entirely 
insectivorous  than  the  other.  The  contrary  is  generally  believed. 
The  fondness  o^the  Robin  and  others  for  fruit  is  not  peculiar  to  his 


I 


^ 


I 


THE  BBOWN  THBUSH. 


1G3 


•pecies :  it  is  equally  remarkable  in  almost  all  other  insectivorou? 
birds." 

I  have  given  these  accounts,  as  I  remarked  before,  for  the 
purpose  of  removing  a  prejudice  that  is  too  well  established 
against  this  bird.  Instances  like  the  above  might  be  pre- 
sented to  almost  any  extent ;  but  my  limits  will  not  permit 
a  further  notice  of  this  species.  * 


Suh-Family  Miir  jm,  —  Mocking  Birds. 

Tail  long,  vanlted  at  the  base,  the  ftathera  more  or  less  graduated;  size  large; 
general  appearance  thrush-like;  rictus  with  distinct  bristles;  i^ontal  feathers  norma), 
dil«cted  backwards;  anterior  half  of  outer  side  of  tarsi  distinctly  scutellate. 


1  HABPORHTNCHUS,  CABAins. 

Ear^hynchus,  Cabaihs,  Wiegmann'a  Archiv.  (1848),  I.  98.  (Tjrpe  Harpu 
redivivui.) 

Bill  from  ftont  as  long  as,  or  longer  than  the  head,  nearly  straight  to  near  the  tip, 
or  bow-shaped,  without  any  notch ;  tarsus  as  long  as,  or  longer  than  the  middle  toe, 
conspicuously  scutellate ;  outer  lateral  toe  a  little  the  longer,  not  reaching  the  base  of 
tlie  middle  cUw ;  hind  toe  longer  than  lateral,  its  claw  equal  to  its  remaining  portion ; 
wings  short,  rounded,  the  fourth  or  fifth  longest;  the  exposed  portion  of  the  first  about 
half  that  of  longest;  tail  longer  than  the  wings,  broad,  more  or  lesa  graduated. 

EABPOBUYHOUUS  WJTVS,— Cabanii. 
yC  The  Brova  Thmih;  Brown  Thruher. "' 

Wilson,  Am.  Om.,  II.  (1810) 


TVtrtftu  rufiu,  Linneens.    Syst  Nat,  I.  (1766)  288 
,    Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  11.  (1884)  102;  Y.  (1889)  441. 
Orrheu*  rtffui,  Swainson.    F.  Bor.  Am.,  II.  (1881)  187. 


Knttall,  Man.  I.  (1882) 


•as. 


Dbscriptiox. 
Fifth  qoill  longest;  the  third,  fourth,  and  sixth  little  shorter;  second  equal  to 
ninth;  exposed  portion  of  the  bill  shorter  than  the  head;  outline  of  lower  mandible 
straight;  above  light  cinnamon-red,  beneath  pale  rufous-white  with  longitudinal 

1  This  genus,  together  with  the  following,  has  been  removed  fkt>m  its  position  in 
the  Liotrichidm,  as  given  in  vol.  IX.  Pac.  R.R.  Reports,  and  placed  in  the  Turdidct  by 
Professor  Baird,  in  his  recent  Review  of  the  Birds  of  North  America. 

*  See  Appendix. 


m^l^ 


iKifjrrrTm-vtwj-a 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


streakB  of  dark-brown,  excepting  on  the  chin,  throat,  middle  of  the  belly,  and  under 
tail  covert.;  these  spoU,  anteriorly,  are  reddish-brown  in  their  terminal  portion;  the 
inner  surface  of  the  wing  and  the  inner  edges  of  the  primaries  are  cinnamon ;  the  con- 
cealed  portion  of  the  quilU.  otherwise  is  dark-brown;  the  median  and  greater  wing 
CDvertB  become  blackish-brown  towards  the  end,  followed  by  white,  producing  two 
conspicuous  bands;  the  tail  feathers  are  all  rufous,  the  external  ones  obscurely  tipped 
with  whitish ;  the  shafts  of  the  same  color  with  the  vanes. 

Length,  eleven  and  fifteen  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  four  and  fifteen  one- 
hundredths;  tail,  five  and  twenty  one-hundredtha  inches;  tarsus,  one  and  thirty 
one-hundredths;  iris,  golden-yellow. 

Probably  none  of  our  summer  visitors  are  better  known, 
and  none  are  greater  favorites  than  this  bird.    Its  beautiful 
song  and  well-known  beneficial  habits  have  endeared  it  to 
the  farmer,  who  takes  it  under  his  protection,  as  he  should 
all  the  Thrushes,  and  encourages  its  approach  to  the  garden 
and  orchard.    The  Brown  Thrush  arrives  from  the  South 
about  the  middle  of  April  in  Connecticut  and  Rhode  Island, 
and  the  10th  of  May  in  Maine  and  the  other  northern  dis- 
tricts.    The  birds  seem  to  be  mated  before  their  arrival 
here,  as  they  are  almost  always  observed  in  pairs  at  their 
first  appearance.    The  nest  is  built  about  the  middle  of 
May,  sooner  or  later,  fi,ccording  to  latitude.    It  is  usually 
placed  in  a  bush  or  thicket  of  briers  or  vines,  sometimes  on 
the  ground  at  the  foot  of  a  clump  of  bushes.    It  is  com- 
posed first  of  a  layer  of  twigs,  then  leaves  and  strips  of 
cedar  and  grape-vine  bark,  and  the  whole  is  covered  with 
fibrous  roots :  the  nest  is  pretty  deeply  hollowed,  and  lined 
witb  fine  roots  and  hairs.    The  eggs  are  from  three  to  five 
in  number.    Their  color  is  a  greenish  or  dirty  white,  over 
which  are  thickly  sprinkled  minute  dots  of  reddish-brown : 
their  shape  is  ovate,  and  their  dimensions  vary  from  1.16 
by  .80  inch  to  IM-hj  .76  inch.    A  great  number  before  me 
exhibit  these  variations,  which  probably  are  the  greatest  of 
this  species,  as  the  eggs  are  generally  nearly  of  a  size.    Four 
eggs  in  a  nest  collected  in  New  Hampshire  have  the  follow- 
ing measurements :  1.12  by  .78  inch,  1.12  by  .76  inch,  1.08 
by  .76  inch,  1.06  by  .76  inch.    But  one  brood  is  reared  in 
the  season  in  the  Northern  States. 


•iSm    r. 


THE  BROWN  THRUSH. 


165 


Tlie  song  of  this  bird  is  difficult  of  description :  it  is  a 
Bort  of  confused  mixture  of  the  notes  of  different  birds,  or 
rather  seems  to  be,  but  is  really  its  own  song ;  as  different 
individuals  all  sing  nearly  alike.  The  fact  that  it  resembles 
the  Mocking-bird  in  its  medley  of  notes  has  caused  it  to  be 
called,  in  some  localities,  the  Brown  Mocker ;  and  it  is  also 
sometimes  called  the  Mavis  and  Nightingale,  from  its  habit 
of  singing  in  the  night  during  the  mating  season. 

The  description  of  Wilson's,  of  the  habits  of  this  bird,  is 
pretty  comprehensive,  in  fact,  the  best  that  I  have  seen,  and 
I  give  it  almost  entire.     He  says,  — 

"  It  is  the  largest  of  all  our  Thrushes,  and  in  a  well-known  and 
very  distinguished  songster.  About  the  middle  or  20th  of  April, 
or  generally  about  the  time  the  cherry-trees  begin  to  blossom,  he 
arrives  in  Pennsylvania;  and,  from  the  tops  of  our  hedge-rows, 
sassafras,  apple,  or  cherry  trees,  he  salutes  the  opening  morning 
with  his  charming  song,  which  is  loud,  emphatical,  and  full  of 
variety.  At  that  serene  hour,  you  may  plainly  distinguish  his  voice 
fully  half  a  mile  off.  These  notes  are  not  imitative,  as  his  name 
would  import,  and  as  some  people  believe,  but  seem  solely  bis  own, 
and  have  considerable  resemjplance  to  the  notes  of  the  Song  Thrush 
{Tardus  tnusicus)  of  Britain.  Early  in  May  he  builds  his  nest, 
choosing  a  thorn-bush,  low  cedar,  thicket  of  briers,  dogwood-sapling, 
or  cluster  of  vines,  for  its  situation,  generally  within  a  few  feet  of 
the  ground.  Outwardly,  it  is  constructed  of  small  sticks;  then, 
layers  of  dry  leaves ;  and,  lastly,  lined  with  fine,  fibrous  roots,  but 
without  any  plaster.  The  eggs  are  five,  thickly  sprinkled  with  fer- 
ruginous grains,  on  a  very  pale-bluish  ground.  They  generally  have 
two  broods  in  a  reason.  Like  all  birds  that  build  near  the  ground, 
he  shows  great  anxiety  for  the  safety  of  his  nest  and  young,  and 
often  attacks  the  black  snake  in  their  defence  i  generally,  too,  with 
success,  his  strength  being  greater,  and  his  bill  stronger  and  more 
powerful,  than  any  other  of  his  tribe  within  the  United  States.  I^is 
food  consists  of  worms,  which  he  scratches  from  the  ground,  cater- 
pillars, and  many  kinds  of  berries.  Beetles,  and  the  whole  race  of 
coleopterous  insects,  wherever  he  can  meet  with  them,  are  sure  to 
raffer.    He  ia  accused,  by  some  people,  of  scratching  up  the  hills 


"T'Mi 


166 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


II     I 


of  Indian  corn,  in  planting  time.  This  may  be  partly  true ;  but,  for 
every  grain  of  maize  he  pilfers,  I  am  persuaded  he  destroys  five 
hundred  insects,  f)articu!arly  a  large  dirty-colored  grub,  with  a 
black  head,  which  is  more  pernicious  to  the  corn,  and  other  grain 
and  vegetablae,  than  nine-tenths  of  the  whole  feathered  race.  He 
is  an  active,  vigorous  bird,  flies  generally  low,  from  one  thicket  to 
another,  with  his  long,  broad  tail  spread  like  a  fan ;  is  often  seen 
about  brier  and  bramble  bushes,  along  fences ;  and  has  a  single  note 
or  chuck,  when  you  approach  his  nest.  In  Pennsylvania,  they  are 
numerous,  but  never  fly  in  flocks.  About  the  middle  of  September, 
■  or  as  soon  as  they  have  well  recovered  from  moulting,  in  which  they 
suffer  severely,  they  disappear  for  the  season.  In  passing  through 
the  southern  parts  of  Virginia,  and  south  as  far  as  Georgia,  in  the 
depth  of  winter,  I  found  them  lingering  in  sheltered  situations, 
particularly  on  the  border  of  swamps  and  rivers.  On  the  1st  of 
March,  they  were  in  full  song  round  the  commons  at  Savannah, 
as  if  straining  to  outstrip  the  Mocking-bird,  that  prince  of  feathered 
musicians. 

"  The  Thrasher  is  a  welcome  visitant  in  spring,  to  every  lover  of 
rural  scenery  and  rural  song.  In  the  months  of  April  and  May, 
when  our  woods,  hedge-rows,  orchards,  and  cherry-trees,  are  one 
profusion  of  blossoms ;  when  every  object  around  conveys  the  sweet 
sensations  of  joy,  and  Heaven's  abundance  is,  as  it  were,  showering 
around  us,  —  the  grateful  heart  beats  in  unison  with  the  varying, 
elevated  strains  of  this  excellent  bird :  we  listen  to  its  notes  with 
a  kind  of  devotional  ecstasy,  as  a  morning  hymn  to  the  great  and 
most  adorable  Creator  of  all.  The  human  being  who,  amidst  such 
scenes,  and  in  such  seasons  of  rural  serenity  and  delight,  can  pass 
them  with  cold  indifference,  and  even  contempt,  I  sincerely  pity ; 
for  abject  must  that  heart  be,  and  callous  those  feelings,  and  de- 
praved that  taste,  which  neither  the  charms  of  nature,  nor  the 
melody  of  innocence,  nor  the  voice  of  gratitude  or  devotion,  can 
reach. 

"  Concerning  the  sagacity  and  reasoning  faculty  of  this  bird,  my 
venerable  friend,  Mr.  Bartram,  writ,es  me  as  follows :  '  I  remember 
to  have  reared  one  of  these  birds  from  the  nest,-  which,  when  fiill 
grown,  became  very  tame  and  docile.  I  frequently  let  him  out  of 
his  cage,  to  give  him  a  taste  of  liberty.    After  fluttering,  and  dusting 


musim 


THE   MOCKING-BIRD. 


167 


himself  in  dry  sand  and  earth,  and  bathing,  washing,  and  dressing 
himself,  he  would  proceed  to  hunt  insects,  such  as  beetles,  crickot«, 
and  other  shelly  tribes ;  btit,  being  very  fond  of  wasps,  after  catch- 
ing them,  and  knocking  them  about  to  break  their  wings,  he  would 
lay  them  down,  then  examine  if  they  had  a  sting,  and,  with  his 
bill,  squeeze  the  abdomen  to  dear  it  of  the  reservoir  of  poison 
before  he  would  swallow  his  prey.  When  in  his  cage,  being  very 
fond  of  dry  crusts  of  bread,  if  upon  trial  the  corners  of  the  crumbs 
were  too  hard  and  sharp  for  hi^  throat,  he  would  throw  them  up, 
cany  and  put  them  ia  his  water-dish  to  soften,  then  take  them  out 
and  swallow  them.' " 

By  tho  first  week  in  October,  the  Brown  Thrush  deports 
on  its  southern  migration,  and  passes  the  whiter  in  the 
West  Indies  and  Mexico. 

MIMDS,  Bou. 

Miimu,  BoiE,  Isis  (Oct.,  1826)  972.  (Type  Turdui  polyghttu$.) 
Bin  shorter  than  the  head,  decurved  from  the  base,  distinctly  notched  at 
tip;  tarsi  longer  than  the  middle  toe;  lateral  toes  equal,  not  reaching  the  base  of 
the  middle  claw,  and  shorter  than  the  hind  toe,  the  claw  of  which  is  half  the  total 
length;  tail  variable,  equal  to  or  longer  than  the  wings,  moderately  graduated; 
wings  rounded,  the  exposed  portion  of  the  first  nearly  or  quite  half  that  of  the 
second,  which  is  considerably  shorter  than  the  third. 

lOlIUS  FOIiTOLOTTUS — Bote. 
The  HooUng-bird. 

Turdm  polyghttus,  Linnreui.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1766)  298.    Wilson,  Am.  Om.,  II. 
(1810)  14.    Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  I.  (1881)  108;  V.  (1889)  488. 
JTimtM  polyglotiui,  Boie.    Isis  (Oct.,  1826),  972. 
Orpheut  polyghttus,  Swainson.    Zool.  Jour.,  III.  (1827)  167. 

DESCniFTION. 

Third  to  sixth  qnills  nearly  equal,  second  shorter  than  seventh;  tail  considerably 
graduated,  above  ashy-bro  ..,  the  feathers  very  obsoletely  darker  centrally,  and 
towards  the  light  plumbeous  downy  basal  portion  (scarcely  appreciable,  except  when 
the  feathers  are  lifted);  the  under  parts  are  white,  with  a  faint  brownish  tinge, 
except  on  the  chin,  and  with  a  shade  of  ash  across  the  breast;  there  is  a  pale  super- 
ciliary stripe,  but  the  lores  are  dusky;  the  wings  and  toil  are  nearly  black,  except 
the  lesser  wing  co\erts,  which  are  like  the  back,  the  middle  and  greater  tipped  with 
white,  forming  two  bands,  the  basal  portion  of  the  primaries  white,  most  extended 
on  the  inner  primaries;  the  outer  tail  feather  •)  white,  the  second  is  mostly  white, 


a«»3as8iS^SS@!!S- 


IW!-IUJ.|.I 


I         i 


168 


ORNITHOLO(JY   AND   OOLOQT. 


except  on  the  outer  web  »nd  towordi  the  base,  the  third  with  a  white  ipot  on  th« 
end,  the  rest,  except  the  middle,  very  slightly  tipped  with  white;  the  bill  and  legs 
•re  black. 

Length,  nine 'and  fifty  one-hundredthg  inchei;  wing,  four  and  fifty  one-hun- 
dredths;  tail,  five  inches;  iris,  light-yellow. 

This  bird  is  so  exceedingly  rare  in  Now  England,  that  it 
can  scarcely  be  regarded  otherwise  than  as  an  accidental 
visitor;  and  Massachusetts  is  certainly  its  northern  limit. 


Mr.  Allen,  before  referred  to,  saya  that  it  has  been  known 
to  breed  in  Springfield  several  times  within  five  years,  and 
in  1860  two  pairs  aested  there.  In  June,  1860,  he  found 
a  nest  containing  three  freshly  laid  eggs,  incubation  not 
having  been  begun:  the  locality  wa'  a  sandy  field,  growing 
up  to  pitch-pines,  in  one  of  which  the  nest  was  placed, 
about  three  feet  from  the  ground;  the  pair  was  secured 
with  the  nest  and  eggs. 

As  I  have  had  no  opportunities  of  observing  the  habits 
of  this  beautiful  "songster,  I  will  give  the  very  interesting 
description  by  "Wilson.    He  says, — 

"  The  precise  time  at  which  the  Mocking-bird  begins  to  build 
his  nest  varies  according  to  the  latitude  in  which  he  resides.  In 
the  lower  parts  of  Georgia,  he  commences  building  early  in  April, 
but  in  Pennsylvania  rarely  before  the  10th  of  May ;  and  m  New 


mmmm 


r 

r 


■» 


THK  MOCKING-BTRD. 


York,  and  the  States  of  New  England,  still  later.  There  are  par- 
ticular situationa  to  which  he  gives  the  preference.  A  solitary 
thorn  bush,  an  almost  impenetrable  thicket,  an  orange-tree,  cedar, 
or  holly  bush,  are  favorite  spots,  and  frequently  selected.  It  is  no 
great  objection  with  him,  that  these  happen,  sometimes,  to  be  near 
the  farm  or  mansion-house.  Always  ready  to  defend,  but  never 
over-anxious  to  conceal,  his  nest,  he  very  often  builds  within  a 
small  distance  of  the  house,  and  not  unfrequently  in  a  pear  or 
apple  tree ;  rarely  at  a  greater  height  than  six  or  seven  feet  from 
the  ground.  The  nest  varies  a  little  in  different  individuals, 
according  to  the  conveniency  of  collecting  suitable  materials.  A 
very  complete  one  is  now  lying  before  me,  and  is  composed  of  the 
following  substances :  First,  a  quantity  of  dry  twigs  and  sticks ; 
then,  withered  tops  of  weeds,  of  the  preceding  year,  intermixed 
with  fine  straws,  hay,  pieces  of  wool  and  tow ;  and,  lastly,  a  thick 
layer  of  fine  fibrous  roots,  of  a  light-brown  color,  lines  the  whole. 
The  eggs  are  four,  sometimes  five,  of  a  cinereous-blue,  marked  with 
large  blotches  of  brown.  The  female  sits  fourteen  days,  and  gener- 
ally produces  two  broods  in  the  season,  unless  robbed  of  her  eggs, 
in  which  case  she  will  even  build  and  lay  the  third  time.  She  is, 
however,  extremely  jealous  of  her  nest,  and  very  apt  to  forsake  it 
if  much  disturbed.  It  is  even  asserted  by  some  of  our  bird-dealers, 
that  the  old  ones  will  actually  destroy  the  eggs,  and  poison  the 
young,  if  either  the  one  or  the  other  have  been  handled.  But  I 
cannot  give  credit  to  this  unnatural  report.  I  know,  from  my  own 
experience  at  least,  that  it  is  not  always  their  practice;  neither 
have  I  ever  witnessed  a  case  of  the  kind  above  mentioned.  During 
the  period  of  incubation,  neither  cat,  dog,  animal,  nor  man  can 
approach  the  nest  without  being  attacked.  The  cats,  in  particular, 
are  persecuted  whenever  they  make  their  appearance,  till  obliged 
to  retreat.  But  his  whole  vengeance  is  most  particularly  directed 
against  that  mortal  enemy  of  his  eggs  and  young,  the  black  snake. 
Whenever  ihe  insidious  approaches  of  this  reptile  are  discovered, 
the  male  darts  upon  it  with  the  rapidity  of  an  arrow,  dexterously 
eluding  its  bite,  and  striking  it  violently  and  incessantly  about  the 
head,  where  it  is  very  vulnerable.  The  snake  soon  becomes 
sensible  of  its  danger,  and  seeks  to  escape;  but  the  intrepid 
defender  of  his  young  redoubles  his  exertions,  and,  unless  his 


170 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOOT. 


fi 


antagonist  bo  of  great  magnitude,  often  succeeds  in  destroying  bin'. 
All  its  pretended  powers  of  fascination  avail  it  nothing  against 
the  vengeance  of  this  noble  bird.  As  the  snake's  strength  begins 
to  flag,  the  Mocking-bird  seizes  and  lifts  it  up  partly  from  the 
ground,  beating  it  with  his  wings ;  and,  when  the  business  is  com- 
pleted, he  returns  to  the  repository  of  his  young,  mounts  the 
summit  of  the  bush,  and  pours  out  a  torrent  of  song  in  token  of 
victory. 

"  The  plumage  of  the  Mocking-bird,  though  none  of  the  home- 
liest, has  nothing  gaudy  or  brilliant  in  it,  and,  had^e  nothing  else 
to  recommend  him,  would  scarcely  entitle  him  to  notice ;  but  his 
figure  is  well  proportioned,  and  even  handsome.    The  ease,  ele- 
gance, and  rapidity  of  his  mo\ements,  tlie  animation  of  his  eye, 
and  the  intelligence  he  displays  in  listening  and  laying  up  lessons 
from  almost  every  species  of  the  feathered  creation  within  hia 
hearing,  are  really  surprising,  and  mark  the   peculiarity  of  his 
genius.     To  tliese  qualities  we  may  add  that  of  a  voice  full,  strong, 
and  musical,  and  capable  of  almost  every  modulation,  from  the 
clear,  mellow  tones  of  the  Wood  Thrush,  to  the  savage  scream  of 
the  Bald  Eagle.     In  measure  and  accent,  he  faithfully  follows  his 
originals.     In  force  and  sweetness  of  expression,  he  greatly  im- 
proves upon  them.     In  his  native  groves,  mounted  on  the  top  of  a 
tall  bush  or  half-grown  tree,  in  the  dawn  of  dewy  morning,  while  the 
woods  are  already  vocal  with  a  multitude  of  warblers,  his  adnurable 
song  rises  pre-eminent  over  every  competitor.     The  ear  can  listen 
to  hia  music  alone,  to  which  that  of  all  the  others  seems  a  mere 
accompaniment.     Neither  is  this  strain  altogether  imitative.     His 
own  native  notes,  which  are  easily  distinguishable  by  such  as  are 
well  acquainted  with  those  of  our  various  song-birds,  are  bold  and 
full,  and  varied  seemingly  beyond  all  limits.    They  consist  of  short 
expressions  of  two,  three,  or,  at  the  most,  five  or  six  syllables, 
generally  interspersed  with  imitations,  and  all  of  them  uttered  with 
great  eilnphasis   and  rapidity,  and  continued  with  undiminished 
ardor  for  half  an  hour  or  an  hour  at  a  thne.     His  expanded  wings 
and  tail,  glistening  with  white,  and  the  buoyant  gayety  of  his 
action,  arresting  the  eye,  as  his  song  most  irresistibly  does  the  ear, 
he  sweeps  round  with   enthusiastic  ecstasy;  he  mounts  and  de- 
scends as  his  song  swells  or  dies  away ;  and,  as  my  friend  Mr. 


m 


THE  MOCKING-BIRD. 


171 


Bortram  has  beautifully  expressed  it,  '  lie  bounds  aloft  witii  the 
celerity  of  an  arrow,  as  if  to  recover  or  recall  his  very  soul, 
expired  in  the  last  ulovated  strain."  While  thus  exerting  him- 
self, a  bystander  destitute  of  sight  would  suppose  that  the  whole 
feathered  tribes  had  assembled  together,  ou  a  trial  of  skill,  each 
striving  to  produce  his  utmost  eflfect,  so  perfect  are  his  imita- 
tions. He  many  times  deceives  the  sportsman,  and  sends  him  in 
search  of  birds  that  perhaps  are  not  within  miles  of  him,  but 
whose  notes  he  exactly  imitates ;  even  birds  themselves  are  fre- 
quently imposed  on  by  this  admirable  mimic,  and  are  decoye<l  by 
the  fancied  calls  of  their  mates,  or  dive  with  precipitation  into  the 
depth  of  thickets  at  the  scream  of  what  they  suppose  to  be  the 
Sparrow-hawk. 

"  The  Mocking-bird  loses  little  of  the  power  and  energy  of  his 
song  by  confinement.  In  bis  domesticated  state,  when  he  com- 
mences his  career  of  song,  it  is  impossible  to  stand  by  uninterested. 
He  whistles  for  the  dog,  —  Crosar  starts  up,  wags  his  tail,  and  runs 
to  meet  his  master.  He  squeaks  out  like  a  hurt  chicken,  —  and 
the  hen  hurriei*  about  vith  hanging  wings  and  bristled  feathers, 
clucking  to  proti  ct  its  injured  brood.  The  barking  of  the  dog,  the 
mewing  of  the  cat,  the  creaking  of  a  passing  wheelbarrow,  follow 
with  great  truth  and  rapidity.  He  repeats  the  tune  taught  him  by 
his  master,  though  of  considerable  length,  fully  and  faithfully.  He 
runs  over  the  quiverings  of  the  Canary,  and  the  clear  whistlings 
of  the  Virginia  Nightingale,  or  Red-bird,  with  such  superior  execu- 
tion and  effect,  that  the  mortified  songsters  feel  their  own  inferiority, 
and  become  altogether  silent,  while  he  seems  to  triumph  in  their 
defeat  by  redoubling  his  exertions. 

"  This  excessive  fondness  for  variety,  however,  in  the  opinion 
q{  some,  injures  his  song.  His  elevated  imitations  of  the  Brown 
Thrush  are  frequently  interrupted  by  the  crowing  of  cocks ;  and 
the  warblings  of  the  Blue-bird,  which  he  exquisitely  manages,  are 
mingled  with  the  screaming  of  swallows,  or  the  cackling  of  hens ; 
amidst  the  simple  melody  of  the  Robin,  we  are  suddenly  surprised 
by  the  shrill  reiterations  of  the  Whippoorwill ;  while  the  notes  of 
the  Killdeer,  Blue  Jay,  Martin,  Baltimore,  and  twenty  others,  suc- 
ceed with  such  imposing  reality,  that  we  look  round  for  the  origi- 

1  Tnvels^p.  82.    Introd. 


' 


172 


OnNITHOLOOY  AND  OOLOGY. 


nail,  »nd  dUcover,  with  agtotUBhrnent,  that  the  lole  performer  in 
this  singular  concert  is  the  admirable  bird  now  before  ui.  During 
this  exhibition  of  his  powers,  he  Bprewls  hi«  wings,  exponda  his  tail, 
and  throws  himself  around  the  cage  iu  all  the  ecstasy  of  enthu- 
siasm, seeming  not  only  to  sing,  but  to  dance,  keeping  time  t«  the 
measure  of  his  own  music.  Doth  in  his  native  and  domesticated 
■tate,  during  the  solemn  stillness  of  night,  as  soon  as  the  moon 
rises  in  silent  majesty,  ho  begins  his  delightful  solo,  and  sere- 
nades us  the  livelong  night  with  a  full  display  of  his  vocal 
powers,  making  the  whole  neighborhood  ring  with  his  inimitable 
medley." 

A  number  of  eggs  in  my  collection  average  abotit  .98  of 
an  inch  in  length  by  about  .70  inch  in  breadth ;  their  form 
is  generally  ovate,  and  their  color  a  pale  emorald-groou, 
with  spots  of  ferruginous  and  brown. 

GALEOSCOPTES,  Cabaiiis. 

QalMteopUt,  Cabahis,   Mu*.  Hein.,  I.  (1860)  88.    (Type  A/wctcnpa    CoroK- 

iienjii.)  ,    J      , 

Bill  «horter  than  the  head,  rather  broad  at  baaej  ricfal  bristles  moderately  devel- 
oped, reaching  to  the  nostrils;  wings  a  little  shorter  than  the  tail,  rounded;  second- 
aries well  developed,  fourth  and  fifth  quilU  longest,  third  and  sixth  llttie  shorter, 
first  and  ninth  about  equal,  and  about  the  length  of  secondaries,  first  quill  more 
than  half  the  second,  about  half  the  third ;  Uil  graduated,  t*il  featlier  about  seventy 
one-hundredths  Inch  shorter  than  the  middle;  tarsi  longer  than  lateral  middle  toe 
and  claw  by  about  an  additional  half  claw,  scutellate  anteriorly,  more  or  less  dis- 
tinctly in  different  specimens;   scutellae  about  seven. 

The  conspicuous  naked  membranous  border  round  the  eye  of  some  thrushes, 
with  the  bare  space  behind  it,  not  appreciable. 


GALEOSCOPTES  OABOLIHEHSIS.  —  Cniomi. 
X  Tl««  Cat-bird. - 

Miueieapa  CaroUneivit.  Linnteus.    Syst.  Kat.,  I.  (1768)  828. 

Orphtut  CaroHnetuU,  Audubon.    Syn.  (1889),  88. 
Mimui  CarMnenm,  Gny.    Genera  (1844-49). 

Turdu*  feUfxa,  \miot.    Ola.  Am.  Sept.,  H.  (180T)  10.    And.  Dm.  Biog.,  II 
(1881)171;  V.  1889,  440. 

Orpheu$  felitmc,  Swainson.    F.  Bor.  Am.,  II.  (1881)  192. 

JWdus  fceWiM,  Wilson.    Am.  Cm.,  II.  (1810)  90. 


THE  CAT-DIRD. 


178 


Carets- 


Dmcriptio!!. 

Third  quill  Inngut,  flrat  •hort«r  than  nixlhi  pnrailiiig  cnlor  dark  plumbenu*, 
Bnnrn  ftiihy  h«neath;  rmwn  uml  niipA  (liiric  annty-hrni^n ;  wliif^  dArk-l>rown,  i*0"9d 
With  plumlieoua;  tki]  greanUh-hlark,  the  lateral  feathrrs  ubficun-ly  lipp«il  with 
pluinbcouii;  th«  under  tail  covert*  dark-lirowiiixh  chpntnut;  fumalu  amnller. 

l.criKth,  el{(ht  and  clKhty-nva  one-hundrvdtlia  Inclicii;  win^,  three  and  aixty-flr* 
oue-hundredtha ;  tall,  fuur;  taraui,  one  and  five  one-hundr«dtha  inch. 

This  very  common  and  well-known  spocios  orrives  in 
Now  England  about  tlin  first  week  in  May,  —  in  Maine, 
poriiapg  about  the  loth  of  t?'.at  month.  It  is  diHtributed 
abundantly  throughout  these  States,  and  its  habits  are  so 
well  known  that  a  description  hero  is  hardly  necessary. 
During  the  mating  soaaon,  and  indeed  through  the  greater 
part  of  the  summer,  the  song  of  the  male  is  heard  in  the 
woods,  pastures,  and  gardens  at  early  morning,  and  some- 
times through  the  day  ;  and,  although  most  persons  describe 
it  as  being  harsh  and  uncouth,  it  is  really  very  pleasing  and 
melodious.  It  is  a  sort  of  medley,  like  that  of  the  Brown 
Thrush,  but  not  near  so  loud :  the  bird  usually  I'erches  on 
a  low  tree,  where,  standing  nearly  erect,  his  wings  slightly 
expanded,  and  his  tail  spread  beneath  him,  ho  pours  forth 
his  notes  sometimes  for  half  an  hour  at  a  time.  In  addition 
to  this  song,  he,  in  common  with  the  female,  has  a  plaintive 
note  almost  exactly  like  the  mewing  of  a  cat ;  and  the  spe- 
cific name  of  felivox,  given  it  by  some  authors,  is  much 
more  descriptive  and  appropriate  than  that  of  Garolinmsia^ 
which  h  neither  descriptive  nor  proper. 

llio  alarm-note  is  a  rattling  cry,  like  the  sound  of  quick 
breaking  of  several  strong  sticks:  it  is  perhaps  well  ex- 
pressed l>y  the  syllables  trat-tat-tat-tat,  uttered  very  quickly. 
I  have  noticed  that  this  bird,  as  do  many  others,  prefers  the 
neighborhood  of  thickly  settled  districts,  even  a  home  in 
their  midst,  to  others  of  a  wilder  character;  and,  when 
travelling  through  the  deep  forests,  I  have  invariably  found, 
that,  when  these  birds  became  abundant,  a  settlement  was 
near. 

Soon  after  mating,  the  birds  build :  this  is' from  about  the 


ii 


174 


OBNITHOLOOT  AND  OOLOGY. 


20th  of  May  to  the  first  week  in  June.  The  nest  is  usually 
placed  in  bushes  and  shrubs,  seldom  more  than  four  or  five 
feet  from  the  ground;  the  location  as  often  in  the  deep 
woods  as  in  the  fields  or  pastures.  It  is  constructed  first 
of  a  layer  of  twigs  and  sticks,  on  which  is  built  the  body  of 
the  nest,  which  is  composed  of  strips  of  grape-vine  bark, 
fine  twigs,  leaves,  and  straws :  it  is  deeply  hollowed,  and 
lined  with  fibrous  roots  and  hairs,  and  sometimes  fine  grass. 
The  eggs  are  usually  four  in  number,  sometimes  five :  their 
color  is  a  bright,  deep  emerald-green,  and  their  form  gener- 
ally ovate.  A  great  number  of  specimens  before  me  do  not 
exhibit  great  variations  in  measurement  from  the  dimen- 
sions of  a  nest  complement  of  four  collected  in  Thornton, 
N.H. ;  they  are  as  follows:  .96  by  .67  inch;  .95  by  .66 
inch ;  -93  by  .67  inch ;  .93  by  .66  inch.  Two  broods  are 
reared  in  the  season,  seldom  three  in  this  latitude. 

About  the  middle  of  October,  this  species  moves  in  its 
Southern  migration. 


4 


^mmmi 


.;ie5ja?jr>'H?^r-fe^^^ita-^-;';^£:4i''^'-f-r-^-^^^-jij-r--^:-;vg.;.^ 


■iWi 


,»pvaaaa.,iv..,.a 


THE  BLUE-BIRD. 


176 


sually 
3r  five 
)  deep 
i  first 
ody  of 

bark, 
i,  and 

grass. 
:  their 
gener- 
do  not 
dimen- 
>mton, 
by  .66 
ids  are 

in  its 


Family  SAXICOLIDiE.*    The  Rock  Inhabitebs. 

Wings  very  long  and  much  pointed,  reacLing  beyond  the  middle  of  the  short 
M|uare  or  emarginated  tail,  and  one  and  a  half  times  or  more  the  length  of  the 
latter;  tlie  spurious  primary  very  short,  the  second  quill  longer  than  the  fourth;  in 
the  closed  wing,  the  outer  secondary  reaches  only  about  two-thirds  the  length  of  th« 
longest  primary. 

SIALIA,  SwAiMSOK. 

Sialia,  Swainson,  ZooI.  Jour.,  III.  (Sept.,  1827)  178.    (S.  Wibonii.) 
■    Bill  short,  stout,  broader  than  high  at  the  base,  then  compressed,  slightly  notched 
at  tip;  rictus  with  short  bristles;  tarsi  not  longer  than  the  middle  toe;  claws  con- 
siderably curved;  wings  much  longer  than  the  tail,  the  first  primary  spurious,  not 
one-fourth  the  longest;  tail  moderate,  slightly  forked. 

SIALIA  SIAUS.  — faini 
/  The  Blae-bird;  Bed-breasted  Blue-bird.-' 

MotadUa  tiaKt,  Linnssus.  Syst  Nat,  I.  (1768)  187.  Gmelin,  Syst.  Nat,  L 
(1788)  989. 

Sylvia  rialis,  Latham.  Index  Om.,  11.  (1790)  622.  Wilson,  Am.  Om.,I.  (1808)  66. 
Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  IT.  (1834)  84;  V.  (1839)  452. 

An^elit  tialis,  Nuttall.    Man.,  I.  (1833)  444. 

Desckiftiok. 

Entire  upper  parts,  including  wings  and  tail,  continnons  and  uniform  azure-blue, 
the  cheeks  of  a  duller  tint  of  the  same ;  beneath  reddish-brown ;  the  abdomen,  anal 
region,  and  under  tail  coverts  white;  bill  and  feet  black;  shafts  of  the  quills  and 
tail  feathers  black;  female  with  the  blue  lighter,  and  tinged  with  brown  on  the  head 
and  back. 

Length,  six  and  seventy-five  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  four  inches;  tan,-two 
and  ninety  one-hundredths  inches. 

THIS  beautiful  bird  is  a  very  common  summer  inhabitant 
of  all  New  England.  It  is  one  of  the  earliest  in  its 
arrival  from  the  South,  often  making  its  appearance  by  the 
middle  of  March,  sometimes  even  earlier.  About  the  middle 
of  April,  immediately  after  mating,  the  birds  commence  pre- 
paring their  nest :  this  is  made  in  a  deserted  woodpecker's 

1  I  have  adopted  the  arrangement  given  by  IVvfessor  Baird  in  his  recent  leview, 
in  this  family  and  the  succeeding,  as  far  as  Stlvicolid.& 


i 


.T 


176 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND   OOLOGY. 


hole,  in  a  martin's  box,  or  in  a  knot-bole  in  a  fence-post. 
Tlie  materials  used  in  its  .construction  are  generally  soft 
grasses,  featbers,  and  wools:   tbese  are  tbrown  together 


without  any  great  care,  the  object  being  to  get  comfort  and 
warmth  in  the  early  season  in  which  the  first  litter  of  eggs 
is  laid.  The  eggs  are  either  four  or  five  in  number :  they 
are  of  a  light^blue  color,  with  a  very  faint  greenish  tint. 
Five  specimens,  taken  at  random  from  a  great  number, 
exhibit  the  following  measurements :  .86  by  .62  inch,  .80 
by  .62  inch,  .84  by  .61  inch,  .82  by  .60  inch,  .80  by  .60 
inch.  This  species  raises  two  broods,  usually  in  the  same 
nest,  in  the  season. 

The  Blue-bird's  habits  are  pretty  well  known;  and  its 
insectivorous  character,. and  social  and  happy  disposition, 
have  established  it  as  a  great  favorite. 


^ntffiTtU-X'lfJIfcWil 


k 


THE   BLUE-BIRD. 


177 


post. 

soft 

ether 


Its  song  is  a  soft  pleasing  warblo,  which  is  often  repeated, 
and  is  uttered  by  the  bird  both  wlien  flying  and  perching. 
In  capturing  insects,  it  has  many  of  the  habits  of  the  Fly- 
catchers. It  remains  perching  on  a  post  or  twig  until  its 
prey  shows  itself,  when  it  suddenly  flies  at  it  flapping 
its  wings  rapidly,  seizes  it,  and  returns  to  its  perch  to  eat 
it.  It  often  descends  quickly,  and  seizes  a  grasshopper  that 
is  crawling  on  a  straw  or  weed ;  and,  if  it  misses  its  aim, 
even  follows  it  while  flying. 

About  the  last  week  of  October,  the  parents  and  young 
leave  in  a  detached  flock  for  tho  South. 


i 


12 


rt  and 
if  eggs 
:  they 
h  tint, 
umber, 
3h,  .85 
by  .60 
Q  same 


■i        'I 


and  its 
osition. 


0 


MigliWH».»iJ"<i<  IWW 


178 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


Family  SYLVIID-E.    The  Wood-inhabiters. 

"  Bill  slender,  broad,  and  depressed  at  the  base,  distinctly  notched  and  dccnnred 
at  the  tip;  culmen  sharp  ridged  at  base;  frontal  feathers  reaching  to  the  nostrils, 
which  are  oval,  with  membrane  above,  and  overhung  — not  concealed —"by  a  few 
bristles  or  by  a  feather;  rictal  bristles  extending  beyond  nostrils;  tarsi  booted  or 
scutellate;  basal  joint  of  middle  toe  attached  iu  whole  length  externally,  half-way 
internally;  primaries  ten;  spurious  primary  about  half  the  second,  which  is  shorter 
than  the  seventh;  lateral  toes  equal."  —  Baibd. 

KEGULUS,  CoviKR. 

Begvlus,  Cuviek,  Lemons  d'Anat.  Comp.,  1799-1800  (Agaasiz).  (Type  MotaciUa 
reguius,  Linnieus;  Begulut  crutatut,  Koch.) 

Bill  slender,  much  shorter  than  tlie  head,  depressed  at  base,  but  becoming  rapidly 
compresstd,  moderately  notched  at  tip;  culmen  straight  to  near  the  tip,  then  gently 
curved;  commissure  straight;  gonys  convex;  rictus  well  provided  with  bristles; 
nostril  covered  by  a  single  bristly  feather  directed  forwards;  tarsi  elongated, 
exceeding  considerably  the  middle  toe,  and  without  scutellas;  lateral  toes  about 
equal,  hind  toe  with  the  claw  longer  than  the  middle  one,  and  about  half  the  toe; 
claws  all  much  curved;  first  primary  about  one-third  as  long  as  the  longef ,-,  second 
equal  to  fifth  or  sixth;  tail  shorter  than  the  wings,  moderately  forked,  the  feathers 
acuminate;  colors  olive-green  above,  whitish  beneath;  size  very  small. 


BEOULUS  CAUSHDULA.  — XicA<. 

The  Bttby-orowned  Wren, 

MotaciUa  calendida,  Linnsans.    Syst.  Kat.,  I.  (1766)  837. 

Sylvia  calendula,  Wilson.    Am.  Cm.,  I.  (1808)  83. 

JJeTtt/u.  co/enrfuia,  NuttalL    Man.,  I.  (1882)  416.    Aud.Om.Biog.,n.(1884)  546 

PKSCmFTION. 

Above  dark  greenish-olive,  passing  into  bright  olive-green  on  the  rump  and 
outer  edges  of  the  wings  and  tail;  crown  with  a  large  concealed  patch  of  scarlet 
feathers,  which  are  white  at  the  base;  the  under  parts  are  grayish-white  tinged 
with  pale  olive-yellow,  especially  behind;  a  ring  round  the  eye,  two  bands  on  the 
wing  coverts,  and  the  exterior  of  the  inner  tertials  white.  Young  without  the  red 
on  the  crown.  The  female  differs  very  little  in  color.  It  is  quite  probable  that  the 
species  does  not  attain  the  red  patch  in  the  crown  until  the  second  year,  as  the 
spring  migrations  of  the  species  always  embrace  a  considerable  number  widi 
the  head  perfectly  plain. 

Length,  four  and  fifty  on c-huiidredth»  inches;  wing,  two  and  thirty-three  one- 
handiedtha;  tail,  one  and  eighty-five  oae^bundredtha. 


RS. 

nd  docorrad 

the  nostrils, 
i — "by  a  few 
rsi  booted  or 
lly,  half-way 
ch  is  shorter 


ype  MotaciUa 

)ming  rapidly 
),  then  gently 
with  bristles; 
'si  elongated, 
al  toes  about 
half  the  toe; 
)ngefc'.  second 
1,  the  feathers 


11.(1884)646 


THE  GOLDEN-CEESTED  WREN. 


179 


THIS  diminutive  species  is  a  quite  common  spring  and 
autumn  visitor  in  New  England,  arriving  from  tlio 
Soutli  from  April  the  13th  to  the  20th  in  the  different  States. 
They  are  generally  first  seen  in  evergreen  woods;  but 
later  are  found  among  the  opening  foliage  and  blossoms  of 
forest  and  orchard  trees, — particularly  the  oak,  elm,  maple, 
and  apple,  —  darting  about,  climbing  on  the  small  twigs, 
and  prying  in  all  directions  in  search  of  minute  flying 
insects,  their  eggs  and  larvae,  frequenting  the  tops  of  the 
trees  as  well  as  the  lower  branches.  By  the  12th  of  May, 
they  depart  for  the  North  to  rear  their  young,  —  breeding 
in  Canada,  Labrador,  &c.  From  about  the  Ist  of  October 
to  the  last  of  that  month,  they  are  again  with  us,  and  are 
seen  diligently  engaged  in  pursuit  of  food  in  our  woods  and 
orchards. 

They  are  not  shy  in  their  Imbits,  and  will  permit  one  to 
approach  quite  near  them.    I  Jiave  noticed  that  they  remain' 
in  one  cluster  of  twigs  until  it  is  completely  cleared  of 
insects,  and  they  often  employ  ten  minutes  in  searching  it 
thoroughly. 

The  Ruby  Crown  winters  in  the  more  southern  States  of 
the  Union  and  in  Mexico.  On  clear,  fine  days  in  spring,  I 
have  heard  this  bird  warble  a  beautiful  song ;  and  it  has 
also  a  peculiar  guttural,  querulous  call-note,  which  often 
precedes  this  song. 

BEOULrS  SATBAPA.— XtcA(. 


the  mmp  and 
atch  of  scarlet 
i-white  tinged 

bands  on  the 
ithout  the  red 
:>able  that  the 
id  year,  as  the 

number  vriib. 

irty-three  one- 


The  Oolden-erested  Wren. 

Befftilus  satrapa,  Lichtenstein.  Verzeich.  Doubl.  (1828),  No.  410  (Quotes  Parut 
$(Urapa,  Illiger,  — probably  a  museum  name).  And.  Syn.  (1839),  82.  76.,  Birds 
Amer.,  II.  (1841)  165. 

Sylvia  regvlui,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  I.  (1808)  128. 

Regvlas  tricolor,  Nuttall.    Man.,  I.  (1832),  420.   Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  II.  (1834)  47B 

Description. 
Above  olive-green,  brightest  on  the  outer  edges  of  the  wing;  tail  feathers  tinged 
mth  brownish-gray  towards  the  head;  forehead,  a  line  over  the  eye  and  a  space 


r 


180 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


beneath  it,  white;  exterior  of  the  crown  before  and  laterally  black,  embracing  • 
central  patch  of  orange-red.  encircled  by  gamboge-yellow;  a  dusky  space  around 
the  eye  wing  coverts  with  two  yellowish-white  bands,  the  posterior  covering,  a 
.imilar  band  on  the  quills,  succeeded  by  a  broad  dusky  one;  under  parts  dull 

^  The  black  of  the  head  immediately  succeeds  the  white  frontal  band  as  one  of 
about  the  same  width,  passing  behind  on  each  side.  Generally  the  white  line  over 
the  eye  is  separated  from  the  white  forehead  by  a  dusky  lore.  There  is  also  a 
diisky  space  beneath  the  whitish  under  the  eye.  The  yellow  of  the  crown 
generally  ovcrUes  and  conceals  the  orange.  The  orange  is  wanting  in  the  fe- 
male.   The  young  birds  always  appear  to  have  at  least  the  yellow  and  black  of  the 

.  ""length,  under  four  inches;  wing,  two  and  twenty-five  one-hundredth s  inches; 
tail,  one  and  eighty  one-hundredths  inches. 

This  handsome  and  active  species  is  also  a  common  bird, 
coming  to  us  from  the  North  the  last  of  September,  but, 
unlike  the  preceding,  braving  the  rigors  of  our  winter; 
and  it  leaves  again  by  the  15th  of  April.    Numbers,  how- 
ever, winter  fnrther  south ;  and  it  is  in  spring  and  autumn 
that  the  species  is  most  abundant.     On  their  arrival  in 
autumn,  they  frequent  orchard  trees,  feeding  among  the 
leaves  of  the  apple-trees,  which,  at  this  season,  are  infested 
with  insects.    Later,  and  in  winter,  they  resort  more  often 
to  the  evergreens,  — such  as  the  pine,  spruce,  and  cedar, 
but  rove  wherever  they  can  find  food,  generally  in  company 
with  the  Chickadees,  and  occasionally  the  White-breasted 
Nuthatch,  Brown  Creeper,  and  Downy  Woodpecker;  the 
whole  forming  a  lively,  busy  winter  party,  as  they  perambu- 
late the  country,  intent  on  gathering  their  now  scanty  food. 
Their  call-note  at  this  season,  indeed  the  only  note  that  I 
have  heard  at  any  time,  is  a  faint  pipe  or  whistle,  sounded 
quickly  three  or  four  times.    I  have  never  heard  this  bird 
utter  the  querulous  note  assigned  to  it  by  Audubon  and 
Nuttall,  but  have  often  heard  the  Euby  Crown  give  this 
strain.     In  spring,  having  similar  habits  and  diet  with  the 
Ruby  CroN/ns,  they  frequent  the  same  hunting-grounds,  and 
are  seen  hanging  to  the  extremities  of  twigs,  head  down- 
wards, and  sometimes  fluttering  in  the  air  in  front  of  them, 
seizing  small  flies,  «  and  often  exposing  the  golden  feathers 


S;:^:gfe'.irt'53fe.^i~=«^'^  4i 


•llififi1')fffitr1Wiif''lfnTfr'' 


THE  GOLDEN-CRESTED  WREN. 


181 


of  their  head,  which  are  opened  and  shut  with  great  adroit- 
ness." This  species  may  possibly  breed  in  Maine,  having 
been  seen  there  in  summer ;  but  I  do  not  remember  of  its 
having  been  found  in  the  breeding  season  south  of  that 
State. 


182 


OBNITHOLOQY   AND   OOLOGY. 


Family  PARIDiE. 

Bill  generally  short,  conical,  not  notched  nor  deciirvcd  at  tip;  culmen  brond  and 
rounded,  not  Bharp-ridged  at  base;  nostrils  rounded,  basal,  and  concealed  by  dense 
bristles  or  bristly  feaUiers;  loral  feathers  rough  and  bristly,  directed  forwards ;  tarsi 
distinctly  scutcllate;  basal  joints  of  anterior  toes  abbreviated,  that  of  middle  toe 
united  about  equally  for  three-fourths  its  length  to  the  lateral,  in  Panna  forming  a 
kind  of  palm  for  grasping;  outer  lateral  toe  decidedly  longer  than  the  imier;  prima- 
ries ten,  the  first  much  shorter  than  the  second ;  tail  feathers  without  soft  tips. 

The  two  sub-families  may  be  thus  distinguished:  — 

Panna.  — Body  compressed;  bill  shorter  than  the  head;  wings  rounded,  equal 
to  or  shorter  than  the  rounded  tail,  second  quill  as  short  as  the  tenth ;  tarsus  longer 
than  the  middle  toe  and  claw,  which  are  about  equal  to  the  hinder;  soles  of  toes 
widened  into  a  palm;  plumage  rather  soft  and  lax. 

SiKiiKB.  — Body  depressed;  bill  about  equal  to  or  longer  than  the  In  wings 
much  pointed,  mucli  longer  than  the  nearly  even  tail ;  tarsus  shorter  than  mid- 

dle toe  and  claw,  which  are  about  equal  to  the  hinder;  plumage  more  compact 

Sub-Family  PARiNiE.  —  The  Titmice. 
PARUS,  LiNN^cs. 

Parut,  Linnaeus,  Syst.  Nat.,  1735  (Agassiz).    (Type  P.  mn;W.) 
Head  not  crested;   body  and  head  stout;  tail  moderately  long,  and  slightly 
rounded;  bill  conical,  not  ver>'  stout,  the  upper  and  under  outlines  very  gently  and 
slightly  convex;  tarsus  but  little  longer  than  middle  toe;  crown  and  throat  gener- 
ally black. 

FAfiUS  ATEICAPIIiIiUS.  — iinnofiM. 

X  The  Blaek-oap  Titmouse ;  Chick-a-dee.  — 

Parus  atncapillas,  Linnseus.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1766)  841.     Wilson,  Am.  Cm.,  I 
(1808)  134.    Aud.  Cm.  Biog.,  FV.  (1838). 
Parut paluslris,  Nuttall.    JIan.,  I.  (1832)  79. 

Descbiption. 

Second  quill  as  long  as  the  secondaries;  tail  very  slightly  rounded,  lateral 
feathers  about  ten  one-hundredths  shorter  than  middle;  back  brownish-ashy;  top  of 
head  and  throat  black,  sides  of  head  between  them  white,  beneath  whitish;  brown- 
ish-white on  tlie  sides;  outer  tail  feathers,  some  of  primaries,  and  secondaries  con- 
spicuously margined  with  white. 

Length,  five  inches;  wing,  two  and  fifty  one-hundredths  inches;  tail,  two  and 
fifty  one-hundredths  inches. 

THIS  well-known  little  bird  is  a  very  common  resident 
of  all  Now  England  throughout  the  year.     It  is  one 
of  the  very  few  species  that  are  as  abundant  in  the  depths  of 


11 


-iifWiliiKgi 


liTBHWHraif^fff  !■■"■"" 


THE  BLACK-CAP  TITMOUSE. 


188 


wings 
■:  mid- 


Hndson'i  Bay  Titmouse,  upper  flg. 
Mack-cap  Tlunoiiae,  lower  flg. 


winter  as  through  tho  summor,  and  it  is  deservedly  one 

of   tho    greatest   favorites.      It 

commences  building  as  early  as 

the  second  week  in  May.    Tho 

nest  is  placed  in  a  hole  exca- 
vated in  a  dead  tree  or  stump. 

This  hole  is,  like   that  of  the 

Woodpecker,  gradually  widened 

at  tho  bottom,  and  is  about  nine 

or   ten  inches  in   depth.     The' 

nest  is  constructed  of  soft  moss 

and  the  hairs  of  different  ani- 
mals. One  beautiful  specimen 
that  I  found  in  the  northern 
part  of  Maine  is  composed  of 
the  hair  of  the  common  duer, 
moose,  and  hare,  a  few  feathers 
of  the  Raffed  Grouse,  and  a  few  fragments  of  soft  mosses. 
They  are  woven  into  a  warm  and  comfortable  tenement. 

The  eggs  are  from  six  to  ten  in  number,  usually  about 
six.  They  are  of  a  nearly  pure-white  color,  with  a  faint 
reddish  tint,  and  are  spotted  thickly,  at  the  greater  end, 
with  markings  of  reddish-brown  :  their  form  is  nearly  spher- 
ical, and  their  dimensions  vary  from  .65  by  .52  inch  to  .60 
by  .50  inch.    Two  broods  are  often  reared  in  the  season. 

The  habits  of  this  little  bird  are  so  well  known,  and  have 
been  written  about  so  muoh,  that  any  description  here  is 
almost  superfluous.  It  is  ^sminently  kindly  and  sociable  in 
its  disposition ;  and,  although  almost  always  in  company 
with  other  birds,  — such  as  the  Golden-crested  and  Ruby- 
crowned  Wrens,  Nuthatches,  &c.,  — it  is  never  seen  quar 
rolling  with  them,  but  fraternizes  with  them  in  the  most 
cordial  manner.  Often,  when  seated  in  the  woods,  have  1 
been  surrounded  by  them ;  and  their  curiosity  to  learn  the 
cause  of  my  presence  and  my  employment  was  so  great, 
that  they  would  often  perch  on  a  twig  within  two  feet  of  my 


T 


Mi 


mimm 


184 


OBNITUOLOOY   AND  OOLOGY* 


head,  and  scnitiiiizo  mo  with  their  shining  black  eyes  in  a 
manner  amusing  to  witness. 

Ostensibly,  tlicy  were  searching  boneatli  the  baik  for  their 
food ;  but  really  they  were  watching  me.  I  once  had  one 
perch  on  my  boot,  and  look  in  my  face  witli  a  perfectly  plaiii 
"  what-do-you-want-hero "  expression  on  its  countenance. 
Always  at  sl-.ort  intervals,  while  perched  in  trees,  and  some- 
times while  iiying,  this  bird  utters  its  song,  wliich  consists 
of  several  notes,  that  may  bo  described  by  the  syllables 
chcwcek-a-dee-dee-dee,  chewSdk-a-dee-dee-deey  emitted  in  a 
clear,  sweet  tone,  easily  recognized,  and  not  to  be  mistaken 
for  any  other  song.  The  flight  of  this  species  is  wavering, 
and  not  protracted;  the  bird  seldom  extending  it  further 
than  from  one  tree  to  another.  Wlien  in  tlio  air  at  any  ' 
considerable  height,  it  resembles  tlie  flight  of  the  Wood- 
peckers, being  undulating  and  partly  gliding. 

In  some  localities,  the  Titmouse  is  regarded  as  injurious, 
from  the  fact  that  it  is  often  seen  among  the  branches  and 
leaves  of  the  fruit-trees  and  shrubs,  pecking  off  and  destroy- 
ing the  buds.     It  does  not  do  this  to  the  bud  for  food,  but 
really  for  the  grul>  contained  in  it.    If  these  buds  bo  exam- 
ined after  the  ChlLk-a-dee  has  thrown  them  away,  the  bur- 
row of  a  grub  or    aterpillar  will  appear  in  the  very  heart 
of  them.    The  bird  is  able  to  discover  the  presence  of  these 
vermin  much  more  readily  than  man  could ;  and  it  is  thus 
able  to  assail  them  at  a  period  of  their  existence  when  they 
are  doing  tlie  most  harm.    But  it  is  not  the  insects  and 
their  larvae  alone  that  he  destroys.    His  microscopic  eyes 
enable  him  to  discover  their  eggs  deposited  on  and  in  the 
crevices  of  the  bark  and  in  the  buds,  and  in  an  instant  he 
can  destroy  the  whole  future  brood.    The  eggs  of  the  moth 
of  the  destructive  leaf-rolling  caterpillar,  those  of  the  canker- 
worm,  the  apple-tree  moth,  and  others  of  these  well-known 
plagues,  are  greedily  eaten  by  it ;  and  this  is  in  the  inclem- 
ent winter,  when  most  of  our  other  birds  have  abandoned 
us  for  a  more  genial  climate. 


■ 


THE  HUDSON'8   BAT  TITMOUSE. 


186 


In  tho  Bum.acr  time,  tho  Cliick-a-doo's  labors  aro  more 
easily  noticed ;  and  an  ho  raises  a  largo  brood  of  young,  tho 
fonialo  laying  six  or  eight  eggs  at  a  litter,  ho  is  very  busy 
through  tho  wholo  day  in  ca[)turing  vast  quantities  of  cater- 
pillars, flics,  and  grubs.  It  has  been  calculated  that  a  blnglo 
pair  of  these  birds  destroy,  on  the  average,  not  less  than  fivo 
hundred  of  those  pests  daily ;  a  labcir  which  could  hardly  be 
surpassed  by  a  man,  oven  if  he  gavo  lis  whole  time  to  the 

« Moreover,  tho  man  could  not  bo  as  successful  at  so 
small  a  cost;  for,  setting  aside  tho  value  of  his  time  and 
the  amount  of  a  laborer's  daily  wages,  ho  could  not  reach  the 
denser  and  loftier  twigs  on  which  the  caterpillars  revel,  and 
which  tho  Titmouse  can  traverse  with  perfect  ease.  No 
man  can  investigate  tree,  and  clear  it  of  tho  insect  hosts 
tliat  constantly  beleaguer  it,  without  doing  some  damage  to 
the  buds  and  young  leaves  by  his  rough  handling  ;  whereas 
tho  Chick-a-dee  trips  along  tho  branches,  peeps  under  every 
leaf,  swings  himself  round  upon  his  porph,  spies  out 
every  insect,  and  secures  it  with  a  peck  so  rapid  that  it  is 
hardly  perceptible." 

In  some  observations  made  on  tho  habits  of  this  and 
some  other  birds  in  Paris,  it  was  found  that  tho  Titmouse 
destroys,  at  tho  lowest  computation,  over  two  hundred 
thousand  eggs  alone  of  noxious  insects  in  the  course  of  a 
year.  That  one  small  bird  is  thus  able  to  accomplish  so 
much  good  in  destroying  these  myriads  of  vermin  is  an 
appeal  to  the  good  sense  of  the  farmer,  for  the  protection  of 
tlie  whole  class,  that  should  not  bo  slighted. 

PABUS  HUDSONICUS.  — for»«er. 
The  Hudson's  Bay  Titmonse. 
Parw /rm&on.-c«.,  Forster.    Philos.  Trans,  I-XII.  (1772)  888,  480.    Aud.  Om. 
Biog.,  n.  (1884)  543.    lb.,  Birds  Amer.,  II.  (1841)  166. 

Descbiption. 
Above  yellowish  olivaccous-brown;  top  of  liead  purer  brown,  not  very  different 
in  tint)  chin  and  throat  dark  sooty-brown-,  sides  of  head  white;  beneath  white; 


186 


OBNITHOLOOY  AND  OOLOOY. 


(idet  and  anal  rcglona  light  bmwnliih-chMtntit;  no  whitl«h  on  winKti  or  tail;  tail 
nearly  evon,  orBliglitly  eniarKiiiato  ami  rmnidcil;  latcial  featliura  about  twenty  oue- 
hundrcdlha  ii<ch  sliortest. 

LenKth,  about  Ave  inchei;  wing,  two  and  ft>rty  onc-hundredths  Inchea;  tail,  two 
and  iixly-nix  onu-hundrvdthii  incliei. 

J/oA.  — Nortb-eaitem  portioni  of  North  America  to  the  North  Atlantic  Statei. 

Tliis  bird  occurs  in  Now  England  only  in  tlio  most 
northern  parts  of  Maino,  Now  Ilunipshiro,  and  Vermont, 
where  it  is  sometimes  resident.  I  havo  never  mot  with  it 
alive,  and  will  bo  obliged  to  avail  myself  of  Audubon's  • 
description  of  its  habits,  nest,  &o.  He  says,  in  describing 
the  nest : — 

"  It  was  placed  at  the  height  of  not  more  than  three  feet  from 
the  ground,  in  the  hollow  of  a  decayed  low  stump,  scarcely  thicker 
than  a  man's  leg ;  the  whole  so  rotten  that  it  crumbled  to  pieces  on 
being  touched.  I  cautiously  removed  the  woody  enclosure,  and 
took  possession  of  the  nest,  which  I  obtained  in  perfect  order.  It 
was  shaped  like  a  purse,  eight  inches  in  depth,  two  in  diameter 
inside ;  its  sides  about  half  an  inch  thick.  It  was  entirely  com- 
posed of  the  finest  fur  of  different  quadrupeds,  but  principally  of 
the  great  northern  hare,  so  thickly  and  ingeniously  matted  through- 
out, that  it  looked  as  if  it  had  been  '  felted '  by  the  hand  of  man. 
It  was  quite  elastic  throughout,  and  rather  wider  at  the  bottom, 
probably  in  consequence  of  the  natural  growth  of  the  young." 

This  hardy  little  bird  resembles  in  its  manners  the  other 
species  of  its  interesting  and  beautiful  tribe :  its  notes 
resemble  thoso  of  our  southern  Black-headed  Titmouse,  but 
are  much  weaker. 


Sub-Family  Sittin^e.  —  ITie  NuthatcAet. 
SITTA,  LufKAua. 

Sitta,  LwNiEns,  Syst  Not.  1735  (Agassiz). 

Bill  subulate,  acutely  pointed,  compressed,  about  as  long  as  the  head ;  culmen 
and  commissure  nearly  straight ;  gonys  convex  and  ascending ;  nostrils  covered  bv  a 
tuft  of  bristles  directed  forward;  tarsi  stout,  scutellate,  about  equal  to  the  middle 
toe,  much  shorter  than  the  hinder,  the  claw  of  which  is  half  the  total  length ;  outer 


i      *-"" [LIllWllll 


THE  WHITB-nELLrED   NUTHATCH. 


187 


Ittf  ril  toe  miirh  lonKer  thkn  iDnnr,  and  nearly  equal  to  the  middin ;  tail  very  abort, 
broad,  and  nearly  »«vun,  IIih  rcBrlirm  soft  and  truni'alB;  wingn  n'acliinK  nearly  to  tlio 
end  uf  the  tail,  luug  and  acute,  the  firit  primary  one-third  uf  (or  leu)  the  third,  or 
loigeit. 

SITTA  OABOMNENSIS.  -  Gmtlin. 

Tba  White-bellied  Nutbateb. 

Silta  Carolintniit,  Latham.  Ind.  Om.,  I.  (1790)  268.  'inigon.  Am.  Om.,  I. 
(1808)  40.   Nutt.  Man.,  I.  (1832)  681.  Aud.  Om.  Uiog.,  II.  (18f  4)  308;  V.  (ISSU)  473. 

l)F.8Clliri      !."«. 

Above  adhy-blucj  top  of  head  and  neck  bluek;  under  partn  and  sidei.  of  head,  to 
■  short  diittAnco  above  the  eye,  while;  uudri  tail  coverts  and  tibial  fuathera  brown; 
concealed  primariea  white;  bill  atout. 

I.cn;{th,  about  aix  iiicliea;  wing,  about  three  and  thrce-quarten  inchea. 

Hiifi.  —  Kaatern  North  America  to  the  high  central  plains.  West  of  thia,  replaced 
by  S.  aculeata. 

This  spccica  is  a  not  uncommon  ono  in  Now  England, 
where  it  is  found  through  tho  wintcr»  In  the  more  nortli- 
ern  districts,  it  is  a  summer  resident ;  and  it  regularly 
breeds  as  far  south  as  Massachusetts.  A  nest  was  found  in 
Cambridge,  Mass.,  in  June,  1865,  It  was  made  in  an  exca- 
vation in  a  dead  tree  (or  rather  stump),  which  was  carried 
to  the  depth  of  perhaps  eight  inches.  The  nest  was  com- 
posed of  soft  grasses,  hairs,  and  a  few  feathers :  these  were 
arranged  compactly  in  the  bottom  of  the  hole  to  the  depth 
of  perhaps  an  inch  and  a  half.  The  eggs  were  six  in  num- 
ber, four  of  them  are  now  before  me :  they  are  ovoidal  in 
shape,  of  a  beautiful  roseate-white  color,  and  covered  more 
or  less  thickly  with  fine  spots  and  dashes  of  light-reddish. 
Their  dimensions  are  .80  by  .61  inch,  .80  by  .60  inch,  .78 
by  .58  inch,  .75  by  .57  inch.  Another  specimen,  collected 
in  the  Adirondack  Mountains,  is  marked  more  sparingly 
with  coarser  and  darker  spots :  its  dimensions  are  .70  by 
.57  inch.  * 

The  habits  of  this  species  are  very  similar  to  those  of  tho 
Bmall  woodpeckers ;  and  they  are  equally  industrious  with 
those  birds  in  their  search  for  the  larvae  and  eggs  of  insects, 
which  they  obtain  by  boring  in  the  bark,  aud  knocking  off 


.  .'igiBiiiri  iinfiinfiinrrTi[iriMw«i»i 


188 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY, 


the  moss  and  dead  pieces  of  trees  -with  their  sharp,  powerful 

bill. 

In  traversing  the  limbs  of  trees,  they  resemble  in  their 
movements  the  Downy  Woodpecker ;  and  their  flight  is  also 
similar  to  that  bird's.  The  note  is  a  short,  harsh  call,  simi- 
lar to  the  syllables  cha-eha-cha-chd,  uttered  quickly,  and  with 
emphasis. 


SITTA  CANADENSIS.  — iinfKKM. 
X  The  Bed-bellied  Nuthatch.- 


Sitta  Canadenm,  Linnteua.    Syst.  Nat,  I.  (1766)  177.    Nutt.  Man.,  L  (1832)  588. 
Aud.  Orn.  Biog.,  II.  (1834)  24;  V.  474. 

Sitta  vana,  Wilson.    Am.  Orn.,  I.  (1808)  40. 

DEscwmoN. 
Above  ashy-blue;  top  of  head  black;  a.  white  line  above  and  a  black  one  through 
the  eye;  chin  white;  rest  of  under  parts  brownish-rusty. 

Length,  about  four  and  a  half  inches;  wing,  two  and  two-thirds  inches. 
J7a6. —North  America  to  the  Rocky  Mountains,  probably  also  to  the  Pacific. 

The  same  remarks  as  to  distribution,  habits,  &c.,  will 
apply  to  this  species  as  to  the  preceding.  It  is  quite  abun- 
dant as  a  summer  resident  in  the  vf ilds  of  Maine ;  and  its 
notes  are  almost  the  first  sound  heard  by  the  traveller  on 
awakening  in  the  early  morning.  I  have  sometimes  heard 
its  note  in  the  night,  while  floating  in  my  canoe  on  the 
bosom  of  some  tranquil  lake  or  between  the  banks  of  a 
sombre  river ;  and  frequently  they  seemed  to  be  high  up 
in  the  air,  as  if  the  bird  had  taken  flight.  These  notes 
are  a  sort  of  drawling  repetition  of  the  syllable  chape,  like 
perhaps  the  following :   Cheadpe,  cheadpe,  cheadpe. 

The  nest  is  built  in  a  hole  in  a  tree  or  stump,  usually 
excavated  by  the  birds  for  the  purpose :  it  is  of  the  same 
description  as  that  of  the  .preceding,  as  are  also  the  eggs 
with  the  exception  of 'size;  the  present  being  considerably 
smaller,  averaging  .64  by  .63  inch. 

Audubon,  in  describing  the  nest  of  the  Red-bellied  Nut- 
hatch,  says, — 


.^-L 


THE   RED-BELLIED   NUTHATCH. 


189 


"  I  found  it  building  its  nest  near  Eastport,  in  Maine,  on  the 
19th  of  May,  before  the  Blue-bird  had  made  its  appearance  there, 
and  while  much  ice  still  remained  on  the  northern  expcfsuies.  The 
nest  is  dug  in  a  low,  dead  stump,  seldom  more  thau  four  feet  from 
the  ground ;  both  the  male  and  the  female  working  by  turns  until 
they  have  got  to  the  depth  of  about  fourteen  inches.  The  eggs, 
four  in  number,  are  small,  and  of  a  white  color,  tinged  with  a  deep 
blush,  and  sprinkled  with  reddish  dots.  They  raise,  I  believe, 
only  one  brood  in  tlie  season." 

Although  I  found  a  pair  on  Nantucket  in  June,  1866, 
which  had  young  without  doubt,  the  only  other  occurrence 
of  this  bird's  breeding  in  New  England  that  has  come  to 
my  knowledge  was  in  West  Roxbury,  Mass.,  in  June,  1866, 
when  a  nest  was  found  in  an  old  stump  by  my  young  friend, 
William  Minot,  jun.  The  eggs  were  four  in  number,  and 
were  of  the  description  given  above. 


SJSSs^^tWSSas^ftSSjMfer-s  -  *  *****'  -■ 


lae 


190 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


Family  CERTHIIAD^.   The  Creepers. 

First  primary  veiy  short,  lesB  than  half  the  second;  outer  lateral  toe  much 
longest;  hind  toe  exceeding  both  the  middle  toe  and  the  tarsus,  which  is  scutellate 
anteriorly,  and  very  short;  bill  slender,  as  long  as,  or  longer  than,  the  head,  much 
compressed  and  greatly  decurved ;  gonys  concave,  without  any  notch;  entire  basal 
joint  of  the  middle  toes  united  to  the  lateral,  the  feathers  stiffened  at  the  tips;  tail 
long,  cuneate. 

CERTHIA,  L1NN.KU8. 

Certhia,  Linn^s,  Syst.  Nat.,  1736  (Gray).  (Type  C.  Jhmiliaru.) 
Bill  as  long  as  the  head,  slender,  much  compressed  and  decurved  from  the  base, 
without  notch  or  rictal  bristles ;  tarsi  distinctly  scutellate,  very  short,  not  longer  than 
the  outer  lateral  toes,  which  much  exceeds  the  inner,  reaching  nearly  as  far  as  the 
middle  toe;  hind  toe  longer  than  the  middle  one,  its  claw  more  than  half  the  total 
length;  clawp  all  very  long  and  acute;  tail  rather  longer  than  the  wings,  arched  or 
vaulted,  graduated  or  cuneate;  the  ftathers  very  acute  at  the  tips,  the  shafts  stiff- 
ened; first  primary  rather  more  than  one-third  the  fourth  or  longest  one;  color 
above  brown,  streaked  with  white,  beneath  white. 

CEBTHIA  AJtESlCASli.  — Bonaparte. 

The  Amerioan  Creeper. 

Certhia  Amtricana,  Bonaparte.    Consp.  List  (1888). 

Certhia  familiarii,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  I.  (1808)  122.    Aud.  Cm,  Biog.,  V. 

(1839)  168. 

Description. 

Bill  about  the  length  of  the  head;  above  dark-brown,  with  a  slightly  mfous 
shade,  each  feather  streaked  centrally,  but  not  abruptly,  with  whitish;  rump  rusty; 
beneath  almost  silky-white;  the  under  tail  coverts  with  a  faint  rusty  tinge;  a  white 
streak  over  the  eye;  the  ear  coverts  streaked  with  whitish;  tail  feathers  brown  cen- 
trally, the  edges  paler  yellowish-brown;  wings  with  a  transverse  bar  of  pale  reddish- 
white  across  both  webs. 

Length,  about  five  and  fifty  one-hnndredths  inches;  wing,  two  and  sixty  ono- 
hundredths  inches;  tail,  two  and  ninety  oue-hundredths  inches. 

floJ.— North  America  generally. 

THIS  species  is  a  resident  of  the  three  southera  New- 
England  States  through  the  year :  in  the  other  States, 
it  is  not  a  common  summer  visitor.  It  arrives  from  the 
South  about  the  middle  of  April,  and,  on  pairing,  com- 
mences building  about  the  second  week  in  May.    The  nest 


•stmsmmip 


THE  AMERICAN   CREEPER. 


191 


is  built  in  a  hollow  limb  of  a  tree,  in  a  deserted  nest  of  a 
woodpecker  or  sqnirrel,  or  a  hole  in  a  fence-post.  Usually 
the  locality  is  chosen  in  the  deep  woods,  and  seldom  near 
dwellings  or  in  the  orchards.  The  materials  used  in  the 
construction  are  soft  grasses,  feathers,  and  the  bark  of 
the  cedar  and  grape-vine.  The  eggs  are  usually  about  six  in 
number :  their  color  is  a  dull-gray ;  and  they  are  marked, 
thickest  near  the  great  end,  with  small  spots  of  reddish- 
brown,  and  a  few  dabs  of  a  darker  color.  Mr.  Allen  speaks 
of  a  nest  being  found  "  in  a  large  elm  in  Court  Square, 
Springfield,  about  ten  feet  from  the  ground,  and  built  behind 
a  strip  of  thick  bark  that  projected  in  such  a  way  as  to  leave 
a  protected  cavity  behind  it."  Dimensions  of  eggs  average 
about  .70  by  .£0  inch.  But  one  brood  is  reared  in  the 
seaaon  in  New  En,;land. 


i.iijy  iijiii'iiiiiiiiiiiiitiwi .  I'lmaiiiw* 


atm 


192 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


Family  TROGLODYTIDJE.     The  Wrens. 

"  Rictal  bristles  wanting ;  the  loral  feathers  with  bristly  points ;  the  frontal  feathers 
generally  not  reaching  to  nostrils;  nostrils  varied,  exposed  or  not  covered  by 
feathers,  and  generally  overhung  by  a  scale-like  membrane ;  bill  usually  without 
notch;  wings  much  rounded,  about  equal  to  tail,  which  is  graduated;  primaries  ten, 
the  first  generally  about  half  the  second;  basal  joint  of  middle  toe  usually  united  to 
half  the  basal  joint  of  inner,  and  the  whole  of  that  of  the  outer,  or  more;  lateral 
toes  about  equal,  or  the  outer  a  little  the  longer;  tarsi  scutellate."  —  Baikd. 

CISTOTHOBUS,  Cabanis. 

Cistothorut,  Cabanis,  Mus.  Hein.  (1850-61),  77.  (Type  Troglodytes  ttellarii.) 
Bill  about  as  long  as  the  head  or  much  shorter,  much  compressed,  not  notched, 
gently  decurved  from  the  middle;  the  gonys  slightly  concave  or  straight;  toes 
reaching  to  the  end  of  the  tail;  tarsus  longer  than  the  middle  toe;  hind  toe  longer 
than  the  lateral,  shorter  than  the  middle,  lateral  toes  about  equal,  hind  too  longer 
than  or  equal  to  its  digit;  wings  rather  longer  than  the  tail,  all  the  feathers  of  which 
are  much  graduated,  the  lateral  only  two-tliirds  the  middle;  the  feathers  narrow; 
back  black,  conspicuously  streaked  with  white. 


CISTOTH0EU3  PALUSTSIS.  —  CaianU. 

1^  The  Long-billed  Marsh  Wren.  — 

Certhia  palustrit,  Wilson.    Am.  Orn.,  II.  (1810)  58. 

Troglodyte)  palustrig,  Bonaparte.  Obs.  Wils.  (1824),  No.  66.  Aud.  Cm.  Biog., 
»'.  (1831)500;  V.  (1830)467. 

Tkryothorus  paluitris,  Nuttall.    Man.,  I.  (1832)  439. 

Description. 

Bill  about  aa  long  as  head;  tail  and  wing  nearly  equal;  upper  parts  of  a  dull 
reddish-brown,  except  on  the  crown,  interscapular  region,  outer  surface  of  tertiaU, 
and  tail  feathers,  which  are  almost  black,  —  the  first  with  a  median  patch  like  the 
ground-color;  the  second  with  short  streaks  of  white,  extending  round  on  the  sides 
of  the  neck;  the  third  indented  with  brown;  the  fourth  barred  witli  whitish,  de- 
creasing in  amount  from  the  outer  feather,  which  is  marked  from  the  base  to  the 
fifth,  where  it  is  confined  to  the  tips;  the  two  middle  feathers  above  like  the  back, 
and  barred  throughout  with  dusky;  beneath  rather  pure-white,  the  sides  and  under 
tail  coverts  of  a  lighter  shade  of  brown  than  the  back;  a  white  streak  over  the  eye. 

Length,  five  and  fifty  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  two  aud  eight  one-hundredths 
inches;  tau,  two  inches. 

ffai. — North  America  from  Atlantic  to  Pacific,  north  to  Greenland Rein- 

HARDT. 


■■ 


I 


THE  LONG-BILLKD   MARSH  WREN. 


198 


THIS  interesting  and  not  generally  well-known  little  bird 
is  a  summer  inhabitant  of  New  England.  Although 
not  uncommon  in  Mas3achi\8etts  and  the  other  two  southern 
States,  it  seldom  ventures  north  of  the  first  State,  where  it 
is  confined  to  the  neighborhood  of  the  salt-water  marshes. 
It  makes  its  appearance  about  the  middle  of  May ;  and  its 
presence  is  soon  made  known  by  its  lively,  chattering  song, 
and  grotesque  dodgings  among  the  reeds  and  tall  grass  in 
which  it  makes  its  home.  I  cannot  refrain  from  giving  the  • 
exceedingly  interesting  account  of  its  habits,  &c.,  by  Wilson. 
He  says,  — 

"  The  Marsh  Wren  arrives  in  Pennsylvania  about  the  middle  ot 
May,  or  as  soon  as  the  reeds  and  a  species  of  nymphea,  usually 
called  splatter-docks,  which  grow  in  great  luxuriance  along  the  tide- 
water of  our  rivers,  are  sufficiently  high  to  shelter  it.     To  such 
places  it  almost  wholly  limits  its  excursions,  seldom  venturing  fax 
from  the  river.  ,  Its  food  consists  of  flying  insects  and  their  larvae, 
and  a  species  of 'green  grasshopper  that  inhabits  the  reeds.    As  to  its 
Botes,  it  would  be  mere  burlesque  to  call  them  by  the  name  of  song. 
Standing  on  the  reedy  bo.aers  of  the  Schuylkill  or  Delaware,  in  the 
month  of  June,  you  hear  a  low  crackling  sound,  somewhat  similar 
to  that  produced  by  air-bubbles  forcing  their  way  through  mudj)r 
boggy  ground  when  trod  upon.      This  is  the  song  of  the  Marsh 
Wren :  but  as,  among  the  human  race,  it  is  not  given  to  one  man 
to  excel  in  every  thing,  and  yet  each  perhaps  has  something  pecu- 
liarly bis  own ;  so,  among  birds,  we  find  a  like  distribution  of  talents 
and  peculiarities.     The  little  bird  now  before  us,  if  deficient  and 
contemptible  in  singing,  excels  in  the  art  of  design,  and  constructs 
a  nest  which,  in  durability,  warmth,  and  convenience,  is  scarcely 
inferior  to  one,  and  far  superior  to  many,  of  its  more  musical  breth 
ren.     This  is  formed  outwardly  of  wet  rushes  mixed  with  mud, 
well  intertwined,  and  fashioned  into  the  form  of  a  cocoanut.    A 
small  hole  is  left  two-thirds  up  for  entrance,  the  upper  edge  of 
which  projects  like  a  pent-house  over  the  lower  to  prevent  the 
admission  of  rain.     The  inside  is  lined  with  fine  soft  grass,  and 
sometimes  feathers;  and  the  outside,  when  hardened  by  the  sun, 
resists  every,  kind  of  weather.     This  nest  is  generally  suspended 


f 


JL. 


194 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


among  the  reeds,  above  the  reach  of  the  highest  tides,  and  is  tied 
80  fast  to  every  part  of  i!  le  surrounding  reeds  as  to  bid  defiance  to 
the  winds  and  the  waves.  The  eggs  are  usually  six,  of  a  dark-fawn 
color,  and  very  small.  The  young  leave  the  nest  about  the  20th  of 
June,  and  they  generally  have  a  second  brood  in  the  same  season." 

I  am  unable  to  add  any  thing  of  value  to  this  description. 
Several  nests  in  my  collection,  from  various  localities  in 
New  England  and  elsewhere,  agree  with  the  above  descrip- 
"  tion  of  nest.  They  are  formed  of  reeds  and  grasses  twined 
strongly  together  in  a  bulky  fabric;  and  the  entrance,  a 
small  round  hole,  is  on  one  side  (facing  the  south  always, 
I  believe).  The  cavity  is  deep,  and  lined  with  soft  grasses 
and  feathers.  The  cpc^s  are  of  a  mahogany-color,  with  fine 
dots  covering  the  entire  surface.  These  dots  are  darker  than 
the  ground-color,  and  so  fine  as  to  be  hardly  visible.  A  great 
number  of  eggs  in  my  collection  vary  from  .60  by  .48  to  .66 
by  .42  inch  in  dimensions. 

CISTOTHOBUS  STELLAEIS.  —  Caianw. 
/  The  Short-billed  Marsh  Wren.  — 

Cistothortu  ttellarit,  Cabanis.    Miw.  Hein.  (1851),  77.     Type. 

Troghdytei  breviroitris,  Nuttall.  Trana.  Amer.  Acad.  Arts  and  So.,  New  Ser.,  L 
(1888)  98,  with  figure  (quoted  in  Manual,  though  date  of  volume  is  subsequent  to 
1882).    lb.,  Man.,  L  (1882)  436.    Aud.  Orn.  Biog.,  IL  (1834)  427;  V.  (1839)  469. 

Description. 

Bin  very  short,  scarcely  half  the  length  of  the  head;  wing  and  tail  about  equal; 
hinder  part  of  the  crown  and  the  scapular  and  interscapular  region  of  the  back  and 
rump  almost  black,  streaked  with  white;  tail  dusky,  the  feathers  barred  throughout 
with  brown  (the  color  grayish  on  the  under  surface);  beneath  white;  the  sides,  upper 
part  of  the  breast,  and  under  tail  coverte  reddish-brown ;  upper  parts,  with  the  excep- 
tions mentioned,  reddish-brown. 

Length,  four  and  fifty  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  one  and  seventy-five  one. 
hundredths  inch;  tail,  one  and  seventy-five  one-hundredths  inch. 

fldi.— Eastern  United  States  to  the  Loup  fork  of  Platte. 

Like  the  preceding  species,  this  bird  is  limited  to  the 
southern  districts  of  New  England ;  Massachusetts  being  its 
northern  limit.  It  makes  its  first  appearance  about  the 
middle  of  May,  sometimes  a  little  earlier.    The  nest  is  built 


TROGLODYTES. 


196 


about  tho  last  week  ia  May :  it  is  constructed  of  grasses  and 
sedges,  and  is  pensile,  or  rather  suspended  in  tall  grass  in 
fresh-water  meadows,  which  is  woven  into  tho  body  of  tho 
fabric.  I  have  never  noticed  any  mud  in  the  materials,  and 
doubt  if  any  is  used.  The  entrance  is  on  the  side ;  it  is  a 
small  hole,  just  under  the  greatest  bulge  of  tho  nest :  tlie 
whole  fabric  is  lined  with  soft  down  from  flying-seeds,  and 
sometimes  a  few  feathers.  Tho  eggs  are  sometimes  eight  or 
nine  in  number,  usually  about  six :  their  color  is  pure-white, 
and  the  shell  is  extremely  thin  and  brittle.  The  dimensions 
vary  from  .67  by  .44  to  .60  by  .40  inch.  But  one  brood  is 
reared  in  New  England. 

The  habits  of  this  bird  are  not  so  well  known  as  those  of 
the  preceding,  as  it  is  a  much  more  shy  bird,  and  always 
avoids  tho  presence  of  man.     When  its  nest  is  approached, 
it  hovers  near  the. intruder,  chattering  and  scolding  in  a 
violent  manner.     It  is  hardly  ever  seen  in  the  neighborhood 
of  the  salt  water,  and  seems  to  be  found  only  in  the  mead- 
ows in  the  vicinity  of  fresh  water :  its  food  consists  princi- 
pally of   small  insects,  and   spiders,  which  it  is   almost 
constantly  employed  in  capturing.     Its  song  is  short,  and 
consists  of  a  repetition  of  thp  syllables,  'che,  'chet,  de-de-de- 
de-de.     This  is  uttered  when  the  bird  is  perched  on  a  low 
bush,  or  tuft  of  grass.     A  peculiarity  of  this  bird,  and  also 
of  the  preceding  species,  is  its  habit  of  building  a  number  of 
nests  in  the  same  season :  it  is  believed  by  many  persons, 
that  this  is  done  to  secure  protection;   because,  when  a 
person  searches  for  the  nest  occupied  by  the  female,  the 
male  always  decoys  the  intruder  to  the  neighborhood  of  one 
of  these  empty  ones.  .  _, 


TROGLODYTES,  Vieillot. 

Troglodytet,  Vikilm)t,  Ob.  Am.  Sept.,  II.  (1807)  6a:    (Type  T.  adon.) 

Wings  longer  than  the  tail,  or  nearly  equal;  tail  rounded,  the  lateral  feathers 

graduated;  hind  claw  shorter  than  the  rest  of  the  toe;   back  brown,  obsoletcly 

waved  wiUi  dusky;  bill  nearly  as  long  as  the  head. 


iMria^Mii^ 


if 


198  ORNITHOLOGY  AND   OOLOGY. 

TEOOLODTTES  SJiOTt,— VieiUot. 
The  House  Wren. 
Troglodyte*  adm,  Vleillot.    Ois.  Am.  Sept.,  II.  (l«07j  62.    Aud.  Orn  Biog.,  I. 

(1881)427!  V.  (1839)470. 

Sylvia  domeitica,  Wilson.    Am.  Cm.,  I.  (1808)  129. 
rroi/Wi/«e»/Wm,  Nuttall.    Man.,  L  (1832)  422. 

Dmcbiptios. 

Tail  and  wing*  about  equal;  bill  shorter  than  the  head;  above  reddish-brown, 
darker  towards  the  head,  brighter  on  the  rump;  the  feathers  everj-where,  except  on 
the  head  and  neck,  barred  with  dusky;  obscurely  so  on  the  back,  and  still  less 
on  the  rump;  all  the  tail  fcatheu  barred  from  tho  base;  the  contrast  more  vivid  on 
the  exterior  ones;  beneath  pale  fulvous-white,  tinged  with  light-brownish  across  the 
breast;  the  posterior  parU  rather  dark-brown,  obscurely  banded;  under  tail  coverU 
whiUsh,  with  dusky  bars;  an  indistinct  line  over  the  eye,  eyeUds,  and  loral  region, 
whitish;  cheeks  brown,  streaked  with  whiUsh. 

Length,  four  and  ninety  one-hundredthi  inches;  wing,  two  and  eight  one-hun- 
dredths  inches;  tail,  two  inches. 

iToA.  — Eastern  United  States  to  the  Missouri,  or  to  the  high  central  plains. 

The  bill  of  this  species,  even  from  Uie  extreme  base,  is  shorter  than  the  head. 
The  wing  is  very  nearly  equal  to  the  tail,  and  reaches  over  iU  basal  forrth.  The 
tail  is  moderately  graduated,  the  lateral  feather  about  .32  of  an  inch  shorter  Uian  the 
middle.    The  outstretched  feet  reach  about  to  the  end  of  the  tail. 

There  are  a  few  whitish  spots  on  the  wing  coverts. 

Tliia  interesting  and  well-known  little  bird  is  very  gen- 
erally distributed  throughout  New  England.  It  arrives  from 
the  Sou  ,h  as  early  as  the  first  week  in  May,  and  soon  appears 

about  its  old  haunts  in  the  gar- 
den and  orchard.  The  famili- 
•arity  of  this  species  with  man 
is  well  known ;  and  comfortable 
quarters  are  provided  for  its 
reception,  oftentimes  in  the 
piazza  of  a  dwelling-house,  or 
in  the  casement  of  a  window. 
This  little  bird  is  rather  quar- 
relsome, and  often  drives  from 
its  home  the  Blue-bfrd  and  Martin,  occupying  the  prepared 
nest  for  its  own  domicile.  When  building  a  nest  of  its  own, 
it  selects  a  hole  in  a  tree,  or  post  in  a  fence,  and  fills  the 
whole  cavity  with  sticks  and  twigs :  this  mass  is  hollowed 


1 1 


;  ^^^^oi^jgfSfi^i^.'a^-t.'fmAv/^iaaiij 


fiWlltoli 


THE  WINTER  WREN. 


19T 


in  the  centre,  and  lined  with  fine  grasses,  feathers,  wool,  and 
other  soft  materials.  Tlio  eggs  are  usually  six  in  number, 
sometimes  eight,  and  I  have  known  as  many  as  ten  1mm ng 
found  in  one  nest :  their  color  is  a  pale-reddish  flesh-color, 
covered  with  fine  dots  or  sprinkling  of  a  darker  color. 
Dimensions  vary  from  .62  by  .50  to  .69  by  .48  inch.  Occar 
sionally,  two  broods  are  roared  in  the  season;  but,  as  a 
general  thing,  one  brood  only.  Tlio  wrens  are  extremely 
beneficial  in  the  garden  and  orchard :  they  destroy  immense 
numbers  of  insects  and  their  larvaj,  and  are,  in  consequence 
of  their  sociable  habits  and  pleasant  dispositions,  great  favor- 
ites. It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say  a  good  word  in  their 
favor,  as  they  are  well  appreciated  and  protected. 

As  with  many  other  birds,  this  species,  although  very 
.  generally  distributed,  is  not,  by  any  means,  regularly  spread 
"  through  these  States.     It  may  be  quite  abundant  in  one 
town ;  and  in  another,  perhaps  five  miles  off,  not  an  indi- 
vidual is  to  be  seen.     In  Cambridge,  Mass.,  it  is  one  of  the 
most  abundant  of  birds ;  but,  in  Newton  or  Dorchester,  it  is 
comparatively  rare.     I  cannot  account  for  this  irregularity, 
and  have  never  heard  a  plausible  or  satisfactory  reason  for 
it  given.     Some  species  of  insects,  which  are  favorites  with 
it  for  food,  may  possibly  be  found  less  abundantly  in  some 
localities  than  in  others ;  but  I  am  unable  to  say  if  this  is 
the  case,  since  I  do  not  know  of  any  particular  insect  which 
this  bird  prefers.     Numbers  that  I  have  examined,  con- 
'  tained  in  their  stomachs  spiders  in  abundance ;  but  what 
species  they  were,  or  what  were  their  peculiar  localities,  I 
am  ignorant. 

TBOOLODTTES  HTEMALIS.  —  FJditofc 
The  'VPinter  Wren. 

Sukia  troglodytes,  Wihon.    Am.  Orn.,  I.  (1808)  139. 

Troghdyte,  hyemali,,  VieiUot.     Nouv.  Diet.,  XXXIV.  (1819)  614.    Aud.  Om. 
BioR.,  IV.  (1838)  430. 

Troghdytu  Europcetu,  Bonaparte.    Obs.  Wils.  (1825),  No.  137.    Nutt.  Man.,  I. 

1882)  427. 


198 


OaNITHOLOOY    AND  OOLOGY. 


Pkscbiptioii. 
Bill  very  itraight,  .lender,  and  conical i  .hotter  than  the  head;  Uil  con.iderably 
.horter  than  the  wing,,  which  reml.  to  its  middle ;  upper  parts  reddi.h-hrown, 
becoming  brighter  to  the  rump  and  tail;  everywhere,  except  on  the  head  and  upper 
part  of  the  back,  with  tran.vcn-e  bar.  of  du.ky  and  of  lighter;  -^apulan.  and  w.ng 
covert,  with  .poU  of  white;  beneath  pale  reddi.h-brown.  barred  on  the  po.ter  ..r 
half  of  the  body  with  du.ky  and  whiti.h,  and  .potted  with  white  more  antor.orly ; 
outer  web  of  primarie.  .imilarly  .potted  with  pale  browni.h-white ;  an  indutinct 

pule  line  over  the  eye.  .       .    j.i     :_„i..  ..:i 

Length,  about  four  inchc.;  wing,  one  and  .ixty-.ix  one-hundredUi»  inch;  tail, 

one  and  twenty-six  one-hundrcdtli.  inch. 
i/oA.  — North  America  generally. 

This  bird  is  quite  abundant  in  the  three  northern  New- 
England  States,  and,  as  a  winter  visitor,  is  not  uncommon 
in  the  others.  Wilson  gives  the  following  account  of  iw 
habits :  — 

"  This  little  stranger  visits  us  from  the  north  in  the  month  of  , 
October,  sometimes  remaining  with  us  all  the  winter,  and  is  always 
observed,  early  in  spring,  on  his  route  back  to  his  breeding-place. 
In  size,  color,  song,  and  manners,  he  approaches  nearer  to  the 
European  Wren  {M.  troglodytes)  than  any  other  species  we  liave. 
During  his  residence  here,  he  irequeuts  the  projecting  banks  of 
creeks,  old  roots,  decayed  logs,  small  bushes,  and  rushes,  near 
watery  places :  he  even  approaches  the  farm-house,  rambles  about 
the  wood-pile,  creeping  among  the  interstices  like  a  mouse.    With 
tail  erect,  which  is  his  constant  habit,  mounted  on  some  projecting 
point  or  pinnacle,  he  sings  with  great  animation.     Even  in  the 
yards,  gardens,  and  outhouses  of  the  city,  he  appears  familiar,  and 
quite  at  home.    In  short,  he  possesses  almost  all  the  habits  of  the  , 
European   species.      He  is,  however,  migratory,  which  may  be 
owing  to  the  superior  coldness  of  our  continent     Never  having 
met  with  the  nest  and  eggs,  I  am  unable  to  say  how  nearly  they 
approximate  to  those  of  the  former." 

I  know  nothing  of  the  breeding  habits,  nest,  or  eggs  of 
this  species.  It  has,  while  in  its  summer  home,  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  warbling  songs  that  I  ever  heard. 


Mtrirfii>'"ii»»«i 


iliiiMliffilKif 


THi!.   VITARnLERS. 


199 


lOfmiderably 
(liih-hrown, 
1  and  u|ip«r 
m  and  wing 
ho  |><»teri(>r 
1  anteriorly; 
in  Indiatinct 

«  inch;  tail, 


em  Now- 
icommou 
mt  of  ii."* 

month  of  , 
1  \a  always 
ding-place, 
rer  to  the 
1  we  have. 
[  banks  of 
ishes,  near 
ibles  about 
ise.    With 
>  projecting 
ven  in  the 
imiliar,  and 
ibita  of  the 
!h  may  be 
iver  havuig 
nearly  they 


»r  eggs  of 
one  of  the 


Famii-t  SYLVICOLIDiE.    The  Wakhlehs. 

Primarieii  nine,  tho  flmt  quill  nearly  a*  long  ai  the  necond  or  third;  tanii  di»- 
tinctly  Dcutellate  the  whol«  length  aiiluriorly;  bill  coniral,  .lender,  or  depreMed, 
UMinlly  half  the  length  of  head,  more  or  leas  brintlcd  or  notched;  nontriN  oval  or 
rounded;  lateral  toei  nearly  or  quite  equal,  and  ihoricr  than  the  middle;  tlie  basal 
joint  of  the  middle  free  nearly  to  iU  base  externally,  united  for  about  half  Inter- 
nally. ,       ^  , 

This  family  is  well  marked  by  its  scutellnte  tarsi  in  front,  the  absence  of  any 
spurious  or  short  first  primary,  and  the  rather  weak,  slender,  conical,  or  depressed, 
sometimes  decurvcd,  bill.  The  base  of  the  bill,  *ith  the  nostrils,  Ui  not  covered  in 
any  genera  by  setw,  aa  in  ranu,  Ahmin,  &c.  In  many  respccU,  there  is  a  close 
relationship  to  some  FringiUida;  and  there  are  some  forms,  such  as  the  Titnai/rida, 
which  it  is  dillicult  to  assign  to  the  one  family  rather  than  to  the  other.  The  chief 
ditference,  however,  is  to  be  found  in  the  longer,  slenderer,  and  less  abruptly  conical 
bill  of  the  Tanngera. 

The  following  synopsis  will  serve  to  point  out  the  sub-familiea  of  the  Syltn- 

coUda!  — 

MoTACiLUN.B.  — Bill  slender;  culmen  slightly  concave  at  base;  legs  long; 
claws  but  little  curved;  hind  toe  considerably  longer  than  the  middle  one;  iU  claw 
much  longer  (twice)  than  the  middle  claw;  all  tho  claws  but  slightly  curved ;  ter- 
tiola  elongated,  much  longer  than  the  secondaries. 

Sylvicolin.k.  — Bill  rather  slender,  conical  or  depressed;  culmen  straight  or 
convex;  hind  toe  shorter  than  the  middle;  tho  cinws  all  much  curved ;  hind  claw 
not  conspicuously  longer  than  the  middle  one;  when  the  hind  too  is  lengthened,  it 
is  usually  in  the  digit,  not  the  claw;  tertials  generally  not  longer  than  the  second- 
aries. 

Tanaokin-k.  —  Bill  very  stout,  conical,  as  high  as  broad,  or  considerably 
broader  than  high;  tarsi  short,  not  exceeding  the  bind  toe;  claws  much  curved,  the 
binder  scarcely  larger  than  the  middle  anterior. 

Suh-Family  MoxACiLLiNiE.— STAe  Wagtails. 


ANTHUS,  Bechstkik. 


(Type  Alauda 


AnOitu,  Bechstkim,  Gemein.  Naturg.  Deutschl.,  1802  (Agassiz). 

mnoletta.)  .   .    , 

Bill  slender,  much  attenuated,  and  distinctly  notched;  a  few  short  bristles  at  the 
base;  culmen  concave  at  the  base;  tarsi  quite  disUnctly  scuteUate,  longer  than 
the  middle  toe,  inner  lateral  toe  tlie  longer;  hind  toe  rather  shorter  than  the  tarsus, 
but  longer  than  the  middle  toe,  owing  to  Uie  long,  attenuated,  and  moderately 
curved  hind  claw,  which  is  considerably  more  than  half  the  total  length  of  the  toe; 
tail  rather  long,  emarginate;  wing  very  long,  considerably  longer  than  the  length- 
ened tail,  reaching  to  its  middle;  the  first  primary  nearly  equal  to  the  longest;  the 
tertials  almost  as  long  aa  the  primaries. 


200 


ORNITUOLOOY  AND   OOLOGY. 


AKTHU8  LUDOVlCIAHUS.-«c*<. 

Th8  Tit-lark. 

Al<iwU  LuiIovMann,  Gmelln.    Sy»t.  N»t.,  I.  (1788)  708. 

Anthut  Lwloi-ici,inu,,  LIclit.    Vcr».  ( 1H23),  87,  No.  til.    Aud.  Syn.  (1889),  94. 
Aliiwla  rufa,  WiUon.    Am.  Cm.,  V.  (1812)  80. 

Anlhut  ,pim,Um,  Audubon.  Orn.  Uiog.,  I.  (1882)  408,  V.  (1889),  449.  Nutt. 
Man.,  I.  (1832)  4nO. 

AntkMtpipUm,  Au.I.-bon.    Orn.  Diog.,  I.  (1882)  408,  V.  (1880)  440. 

Dbscihptiok. 

(Ftmalt,  In  iprlng.)  Above  oUvc-brown,  o«ch  feather  Mightly  darker  toward* 
the  central  portion;  bcncnth  palo  dull-buff,  or  yellowlnh-brown,  with  u  maxillary 
teriei  of  dark-brown  opota  and  streaks  across  the  breast  and  alonK'  sides;  ring 
rnun<l  the  eye,  and  superciliary  stripe  yellowish;  central  tail  feathers  like  the  bnik, 
others  dark  blackish-brown,  the  external  ono  white,  except  at  the  base  within,  • 
•white  spot  at  the  end  of  the  second;  primaries  edged  with  whitish,  other  quills  with 
pale-brownish. 

Length,  six  and  fifty  ono-hundredths  inches;  wing,  throo  and  forty-flve  one- 
hundredths  inches;  tail,  two  and  ninety-five  one-hundredths  inches. 

//u4.— North  America  generally.  Greenland  (Ueinhardt).  Accidental  in  Eu- 
nps. 

THIS  bird  is  a  not  uncommon  fall  and  spring  visitor  in 
New  England;  and,  in  tho  southern  parts  of  those 
States,  in  mild  seasons,  it  remains  through  the  entire  winter. 
It  is  most  frequently  found  in  tho  neighborhood  of  tho  sea- 
coast  or  its  largo  marshes,  and  in  largo  tracts  of  level,  dry, 
weedy  pastures  and  fields. 

While  with  us,  it  flies  in  loose,  detached  flocks,  in  a  jerk- 
ing, irregular  sort  of  flight,  uttering  occasionally  its  feeble, 
lisping  queH,  queet.  It  seems  always  busily  employed, 
either  on  the  beach,  in  gathering  the  small  shell-fish  aud 
animalcules  thrown  up  by  the  tide,  or,  in  pastures  and 
stubble-fields,  in  gleaning  the  seeds  of  weeds  and  grasses : 
it  also  feeds  upon  spiders  and  such  insects  as  it  is  able  to 
find  in  the  dead  grass  and  weeds. 

As  this  species  breeds  in  the  most  northern  parts  of  the 
continent,  I  am  unable  to  give  any  account  of  its  breeding 
habits ;  and,  having  no  egg  in  my  collection,  I  can  give 
no  description  of  it  here.  Nuttall  says  the  "  nest  is  built 
in  the  fissures  of  cliffs,  is  composed  of  dry  grass  and  a 


.^airiM'fifffiiiiTiMirwiwMWiit. 


THH   BLACK   AND  WHITE  CREEPER. 


201 


littlo  inoas,  and  linod  with  finer  bladoH  of  the  former  and  a 
few  long  Imirs.  The  eggs  arc  four  or  five  in  numhor,  of 
a  sullicd-whito  color,  and  covered  with  Minall  brown  spots, 
collected  chiefly  towards  the  larger  end." 


Sub-Family  Srhviooi^iy M.  — The  Wood-warhleri. 
MNIOTILTA,  ViKiixoT. 

MniirtiUa,  Vikili/it,  Analyse,  1818  (ARBMiz). 

GcntTal  form  «ylvieolinoi  bill  ratlier  long,  comprewcd,  shorter  than  the  head, 
with  very  short  rlctal  bristles  and  a  shallow  notch;  winKs  considerably  longer  lliun 
the  tail,  which  is  sliKhlly  roundod;  (Irst  quill  shorter  than  second  and  third;  tarsi 
rnthiT  short;  toes  long,  middio  one  equal  to  the  tarsus;  hind  too  nearly  aa  long,  the 
cUw  considorablv  shorter  than  its  (ligit.    Color  white  streaked  with  bln.'k. 

This  genus  diflern  from  other  Sijlvicolinet  in  the  elongation  of  the  toes,  especially 
the  hinder  one,  by  means  of  which  tlie  species  is  cnabkd  to  move  up  and  down  the 
trunks  of  trees,  like  the  true  Creepers.  But  one  specie*  is  recognized  aa  North 
American,  although  Nuttall  describes  a  second. 

MNIOTILTA  VAEIA —  rttUhl. 

The  Black  and  White  Creeper./ 

Motacilla  varia,  Linnistis.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1768)  833. 

Mniotiltavaria,  \ie\\\ot.  Analyse  (1018).  76.,GalerieOi8.,I.  (1884)  276.  Aud. 
Sj-n.  (1839),  71.    lb,  Birds  Am.,  II.  (1841)  106. 

Syhh  t-aria,  Bonaparte.    Syn.  (1828),  81.     Nutt.  Man.,  I.  (1882)  884. 
Certhia  maculata,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  III.  (1811)  22. 

Description. 

Bill  with  the  upper  mandible  considerably  dccurved,  the  lower  straight;  general 
color  of  the  male  black,  the  feathers  broadly  edged  with  white;  the  head  all  round 
black,  with  a  median  stripe  in  the  crown  and  neck  obove,  a  superciliary  and  a  max- 
illary'one  of  white;  middle  of  belly,  two  conspicuous  bands  on  the  wings,  outer 
edges  of  tertials  and  Inner  of  all  the  wing  and  tail  feathers,  and  a  spot  on  the  inner 
webs  of  the  outer  two  tail  feathers,  white;  rump  and  upper  tail  coverts  black, 
edged  externally  with  white;  female  similar;  the  under  parts  white,  obsoletcly 
streaked  with  black  on  the  sides  and  under  tail  coverts. 

Length,  five  inches;  wing,  two  and  eighty-five  one-hundredths  inches;  tall,  two 
and  twenty-five  one-hundredths  inches. 

Hab. —Eastern  North  America  to  Missouri  River,  south  to  Guatemala. 

This  is  a  rather  common  summer  inhabitant  of  all  New 
England.    It  arrives  from  the  South  before  the  20th  of 


mM'm'V^iO'Ma- 


mgrnmrnx* 


I 


I 

t 

i. 
f 
t. 


202 


OBNlTHOLbOY  AND   OOLOGY. 


April,  aud  sometimes  is  seen  by  the  first  week  in  that 
month.  In  its  habits,  it  resembles  both  the  Creepers  and 
Warblers ;  moving  about  the  bodies  and  limbs  of  trees  with 
the  ease  of  the  former,  and  gleaning  amongst  the  foliage  the 
insect  hosts  like  the  latter.  I  have  sometimes  seen  it  seize 
a  flying  insect  while  on  the  wing,  although  this  must  have 
been  a  departure  from  its  general  habits. 

The  song  of  the  male  during  the  mating  season  is  a  sort 
of   lisping  rendition   of   the    syllables    whSchee,   whSchee, 
whSchee,  wMchee,  uttered  at  first  loud,  and  gradually  weak- 
ening to  a  subdued  note,  like  chSet.     At  other  times,  it  has 
only  a  faint  chirp  or  chink,  which  is  uttered  by  both  sexes. 
About  the  10th  of  May,  after  the  birds  have  paired,  they 
commence  building  the.nest:  this,  Audubon  f     s,  in  Louis- 
iana "  is  usually  placed  in  some  small  hole  in  a  tree,  and 
is  composed  of  mosses  in  a  dry  state,  and  lined  with  cottony 
substances."     In  New  England,  it  is  almost  always  built,  or 
rather  placed,  on  the  ground  ;  the  situation  is  chosen  usually 
beneath  an  overhanging  point  of  rock,  or  beneath  a  fallen 
trunk  of  a  tree :  it  is  made  of  mosses,  straw,  leaves,  and 
other  soft  materials,  and  is  lined  with  cotton  from  ferns, 
soft  grass,  or  hair.    The  eggs  are  laid  by  the  middle  of 
May.    They  are  usually  four  or  five  in  number :  their  color 
is  white,  with  a  slight  cream  tinge ;  and  they  are  spotted 
irregularly  with  fine  dots  and  confluent  blotches  of  reddish- 
brown,  thickest  near  the  largest  end  of  the  egg.    Dimen- 
sions of  foTU"  eggs  found  in  a  nest  in  Reading,  Mass. :  .66 
by  .54  inch,  .66  by  .54  inch,  .65  by  .64  inch,  .65  by  .54 
inch.    Two  broods  are  occasionally  reared  by  this  species  m 
southern  New  England. 

Probably  the  greater  number  breed  in  more  northern 
localities ;  for  it  is  much  more  common  in  the  spring  and 
fall  than  in  summer.  By  the  10th  of  September,  they  move 
on  their  southern  migration ;  and,  after  the  15th  or  20th  of 
that  rr  onth,  none  are  to  be  seen  in  New  England. 


in  that 
pers  and 
rees  with 
iliage  the 
u  it  seize 
lust  have 


THE   BLUE   YELLOW-BACKED   WARBLER. 
PARULA,  Bonaparte. 


203 


Parula,  Bonaparte,  Geog.  and  Comp.  List,  1838.  (Tj-pe  Panu  Americamu.) 
In  the  species  of  tliis  genus,  the  bill  is  conical  and  acute;  the  culmen  very  gently 
curved  from  the  base;  the  commissure  slightly  concave,  the  notch  when  visible  is 
furtlier  from  the  tip  than  in  Dendroica,  but  usually  is  either  obsolete  or  entirely 
wanting;  bristles  very  short;  the  tarsi  are  longer  than  the  middle  toe;  the  tail  is 
nearly  even,  and  considerably  shorter  than  the  wing. 


is  a  sort 
whSchee, 
illy  weak- 
es,  it  has 
)th  sexes, 
ired,  they 
in  Louis- 
tree,  and 
;h  cottony 
s  built,  or 
m  usually 
h  a  fallen 
javes,  and 
om  ferns, 
middle  of 
their  color 
re  spotted 
if  reddish- 
.    Dimen- 
tlass. :  .66 
.65  by  .54 
species  in 

northern 
spring  and 
they  move 
or  20th  of 


FABULA  AMEBICAHA.— JSonctparte. 
The  Blue  Tellow-backed  Warbler. 

Panu  Americanua,  Linnieus.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1758)  190. 

Sylvia  Americana.    Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  L  (1882)  78. 

Pai-ula  Americana,  Bonaparte.    List  (1838).     lb.,  Consp.  (1850),  310. 

Sylvia  pmilla,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  IV.  (1811)  17. 

Description. 
Above  blue,  the  middle  of  the  back  with  a  patch  of  yellowish-green;  beneatn 
yellow  anteriorly,  white  behind;  a  reddish-brown  tinge  across  the  breast;  lores  and 
space  round  the  eye  dusky;  a  small  white  spot  on  either  eyelid;  sides  of  head 
and  neck  like  the  crown;  two  conspicuous  white  bands  on  the  wings;  outer  two  tail 
feathers  with  a  conspicuous  spot  of  white;  female  similar,  with  less  brown  on  the 

breast. 

Length,  four  and  seventy-five  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  two  and  thirty-four 
one-hundredths  inches;  tail,  one  and  ninety  one-hundredths  inch. 

E?b.  — Eastern  North  America  to  the  Missouri,  south  to  Guatemala. 

This  species,  I  am  inclined  to  think,  is  rather  common 
in  all  of  New  England ;  and  it  undoubtedly  breeds  more 
or  less  abundantly  in  each  of  these  States.    It  arrives  from 
the  South  about  the  middle  of  May,  sometimes  a  little  ear- 
lier.    The  birds,  on  their  arrival,  seem  to  be  mated;  for 
they  are  almost  always  seen  in  pairs,  often  two  males  with 
one  female.     Their  habits  are  very  similar  to  those  of  the 
Titmice,  and  they  are  equally  at  home  in  the  high  foliage  of 
trees  aud  in  the  low  thickets  and  shrubbery.     When  travel- 
ling through  the  trees,  they  run  nimbly  both  across  and 
along  the  branches,  sometimes  hanging  head  downwards, 
sometimes  fluttering  at  the  extremity  of  a  small  twig:  they 
are  very  nervous  and  active,  and  are  almost  continually 
employed  in  catching  caterpillars   and   insects,  of  which 
their  food  consists.    While  thus  engaged,  they  emit,  occar 


; 


JL 


SEJfiWtSKSrSSlK^^lP 


204  ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 

f 

Bionally,  a  feeble  note  like  the  syllables  cheweM,  cheweich, 
cheweSch,  uttered  at  first  low,  and  rapidly  increasing  m 
volume.    When  passing  through  the  forests  of  Mauie  and 
New  Hampshire,  I  have  seen  numbers  of  these  birds,  par- 
ticularly in  the  neighborhood  of  swamps,  flying  from  the 
tops  of  the  huge  hemlocks,  and  seizing  the  small  lace- 
winged  flies   iephemerideti)   that   are   abundant  in   those 
regions  in  May  and  June.     I  also  noticed  that  they  fed 
largely  upon  the  small  caterpillars  igeometrid(B-)  ;  and  I  saw 
them  occasionally  descend  to  the  surface  of  a  lake  or  river, 
and  seize  small  spiders  that  were  struggling  in  the  water. 
The  habits  of  this  bird  have  caused  it  to  be  classed  in  many 
different  ways.    Linnaeus  and  others  placed  it  in  the  genus 
Farm,  Latham  and  many  others  called  it  Syhia,  some 
have  named  it  Motaeilla,  and  Stephens  named  it  Thryo- 
thorns.    It,  howeve-,  belongs  properly  among  the  Warblers ; 
and  the  position  given  it  as  above  seems  its  most  natural 
one.    About  the  first  of  June,  the  birds  commence  build- 
ing their  nest:  this  is  placed  in  a  fork  near  the  end  of  a 
branch  of  a  tree,  about  twenty  feet  from  the  ground.    It  is 
usually  constructed  of  the  long,  gray  Spanish  moss  that 
is  so  plentiful  in  the  States  of  Maine,  New  Hampshire,  and 
Vermont.    A  beautiful  specimen  in  my  collection,  found  in 
Maine  by  John  Krider  of  Philadelphia,  who  kmdly  pre- 
sented it  to  me,  is  of  this  description,  and  one  of  the  most 
curious  specimens  of  bird  architecture :  the  long  hairs  of 
the  moss  are  woven  and  twined  together  in  a  large  mass,  on 
.    one  side  of  which  is  the  entrance  to  the  nest,  a  mere  hole 
left  in  the  moss  ;  the  lining  is  nothing  but  the  same  mate- 
rial, only  of  a  finer  quality.    There  is  anotlie.  nest  of  this 
description  in  the  collection  of  the  Museum  of  Comparative 
.  Zoology  in  Cambridge,  which  was  also  found  in  Maine.    The 
eggs  are  usually  four  in  number,  and  they  are  laid  about 
the  first  week  in  June.    Their  color  is  whitf;,  with  a  very 
slight  creamy  tint,  and  covered  more  or  I'-.ss  thickly  with 
spots  and  confluent  blotches  of  brownish-. ed  and  obscure- 


THE  MARYLAND  YELLOW-THROAT. 


205 


cheweich, 
jasing  in 
[aiue  and 
irds,  par- 
from  the 
aall  lace- 
in  those 
they  fed 
and  I  saw 
!  or  river, 
;he  water, 
i  in  many 
the  genus 
Ivia,  some 
it  Thryo- 
Warblers ; 
>8t  natural 
mce  build- 
5  end  of  a 
ind.    It  is 
moss  that 
pshire,  and 
a,  found  in 
cindly  pre- 
f  the  most 
ig  hairs  of 
je  mass,  on 
mere  hole 
same  mate- 
lest  of  this 
!omparative 
:aine.    The 
laid  about 
<rith  a  very 
thickly  with 
ad  obscure- 


lilac,  thickest  at  the  large  end.  Two  eggs  in  my  collection 
are  of  the  following  measurements :  .62  by  .48  inch,  and  .63 
by  .46  inch. 

GEOTHLYPIS,  Cabanis. 

GeolMypis,  Cabanis,  Wiegmann's  Archiv.  (1847),  I.  816,  849.  lb.,  Schomburgk't 
Keisc  Guiana  (1848). 

Bill  sylvicoline,  rather  depressed,  and  distinotly  notched;  rictal  bristles  very 
short  or  wanting;  wings  short,  rounded,  scarcely  longer  than  the  tail ;  the  first  quill 
shorter  than  the  fourth;  tail  long,  much  rounded  or  graduated;  legs  stout;  tarsi 
elongated  as  the  head;  olive-green  above,  belly  yellow;  tail  feathers  immaculate; 
legs  yellow. 

0E0THLYFI3  TRICHAS.  —  CabanU. 

y  The  Maryland  Tellow-throat.  ' 

Turdi~  (■':h(u,  Linnajus.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1766)  298. 

8yMa  trkhas,  Audubon.    Om.  Biog..  I.  (1832)  120;  V.  (1838)  463. 

Geothlypii  trichat,  Cabanis.    Mus.  Hein.  (1850),  16. 

Bylvia  Marilandica,  Wilson.    Am.  Cm.,  L  (1808)  88. 

Trichat  roscoe,  Nuttall.    Man.,  L  (2d  ed.,  1840)  457. 

DESCRtPTION. 

Upper  parts  olive-green,  tinged  with  brown  towards  the  middle  of  the  crown ; 
chin,  throat,  and  breast  as  far  as  the  middle  of  the  body,  with  the  under  tail  coverts, 
bright-yellow ;  belly  dull  whitish-buff;  sides  of  body  strongly  tinged  with  light 
olive-brown;  imder  coverts  glossed  with  the  same;  a  band  of  black  on  the  fore- 
head (about  twenty  one-hundiedths  of  an  inch  wide  in  the  middle),  passing  back- 
ward so  as  to  cover  the  cheek  and  ear  coverts,  and  extending  a  little  above  the  eye ; 
this  band  bordered  behind  by  a  suflTusion  of  hoary-ash,  forming  a  distinct  line  above 
the  eye,  and  widening  behind  the  ear  coverts  into  a  lurger  patch,  with  a  yellow 
tinge.  In  winter  dress,  and  in  the  ffema'e,  without  the  black  mask,  the  forehead 
tinged  with  brown,  the  yellow  of  the  throat  less  extended,  the  eyelids  whitish,  and 
an  indistinct  superciliary  line  yellowish. 

Length  of  male,  five  and  fifty  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  two  and  forty  one- 
hundredths  inches;  tail,  two  and  twenty  one-hundredths  inches. 

This  bird  is  a  common  inhabitant  of  all  the  New-England 
States.  It  arrives  from  the  South  about  the  second  week  in 
May,  sometimes  earlier,  and  soon  commences  building. 
The  nest  is  usually  placed  on  the  ground,  although  often  in 
thickets  of  briers  and  bushes.  It  is  constructed  of  leaves 
and  grasses,  and  is  lined  with  fine  grasses  and  hairs.  It  is 
often  built  over  at  the  top,  with  the  entrance  through  a  hole 
in  the  side.    The  whole  makes  a  bulky  affair,  almost  imper- 


206 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND   OOLOGY. 


\     • 


viotis  to  water.'    The  eggs  are  laid  about  the  last  week  in 
May  or  first  week  in  June.     They  are  variable  in  size  and 
markings,  but  are  usually  five  in  number.     To  illustrate 
the  difference  in  size  and  markings,  I  will  describe  five  eggs 
found  in  a  nest  in  Milton,  Mass. :  No.  1  is  creamy-white  in 
color,  with  numerous  spots  of  dark-brown  and  obscure  spots 
of  lilac  ;  these  markings  are  thinly  scattered  over  the  eggs, 
but  are  quite  thick  at  the  larger  end :  dimensions,  .70  by 
.52  inch.     No.  2  has  the  same  ground-color,  but  the  mark- 
ings  consist  of   numerous   spots   and  confluent  blotches 
of  light-brown  and  lilac  at  the  large  end  of  the  egg  :  dimen- 
sions, .70  by  .66  inch.     No.  3  is  pure-white,  with  thinly 
scattered  spots  of  brown  and  black  running  like  a  ring 
around  the  larger  end  of  the  egg ;  dimensions,  .74  by  .50 
inch.     No.  4  is  of  a  pure-white  color,  with  thinly  scattered 
spots  of  light-brown  around  the  larger  end :  dimensions, 
M  by  .52  inch.    No.  5  of  the  same  color,  size,  and  mark- 
ings as  No.  4.    Other  eggs  of  this  species  in  my  collection 
exhibit  other  markings  from  spots  and  blotches  of  lilac  and 
brown  at  the  larger  end  to  thinly  scattered  dots  of  reddish 
over  the  entire  surface ;  and  one  specimen  has  numeroua 
irregular  lines  in  a  circle  around  the  larger  end  of  the  egg. 
This  species  rears  two  broods  in  the  season  in  southern 
New  England.     I  have  found  nests  often  as  late  as  the 
middle  of  July.    The  habits  of  the  Maryland  Yellow-throat 
are  well  known.    He  is  first  noticed  in  the  swampy  thickets, 
darting  in  and  out  through  the  tangled  shrubbery.     Soon 
he  makes  his  appearance  in  the  flower-garden  and  orchard, 
where  he  may  be  seen  at  almost  all  times  through  the  breed- 
ing season,  busily  engaged  searching  for  his  insect  food ; 
occabionally  pausing  to  carol  his  pretty  song,  whe-tit4e4ee, 
whe-tit-tedee,  then  darting  away  for  a  discovered  insect,  then 
caressing  his  mate,  or  flying  to  his  nest  with  food  for  their 
young. 

1  A  nest  sent  me  from  Delaware  is  constructed  of  grasses,  which  are  woven  into 
a  loose  fabric,  quite  different  from  northern  specimens. 


I'm-"^""" 


THE  MOURNING   WAKBLEB. 


207 


In  the  woods,  this  species  is  more  often  found  in  low 
thickets  in  or  near  wet,  swampy  localities,  and  is  very  sel- 
dom seen  in  high,  dry,  heavily  wooded  countries.  It  suems 
to  prefer  the  neighborhood  of  human  habitations  for  its 
home,  and  its  genial  disposition  and  beneficial  habits  have 
established  it  as  a  great  favorite  with  the  farmers. 

As  soon  as  the  last  brood  of  young  leaves  the  nest,  the 
old  birds  become  silent ;  and,  by  the  middle  of  September, 
the  whole  family  leave  for  the  South. 


GEOTHLTPIS  PHILADELPHIA.  —  iSaiiti 
The  Mournintr  Warbler. 

Sylvia  Philadelphia,  Wilson.  Am.  Om.,  U.  (1810)  101.  Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  V. 
(1889)  78,    Nutt.  Man.,  I.  (1832)  404. 

Description. 

Wings  but  little  longer  than  the  tail,  reaching  but  little  beyond  its  base;  head 
and  neck  h11  round,  with  throat  and  fore  part  of  breast,  ash-gray,  paler  beneath ;  the 
feathers  of  the  chin,  throat,  and  fore  breast  in  reality  black,  but  with  narrow  ashy 
margins,  more  or  less  concealing  the  black,  except  on  the  breast;  lores  and  region 
round  the  eye  dusky,  without  any  trace  of  a  pale  ring;  upper  parte  and  sides  of  the 
body  clear  olive-green;  the  under  parts  bright-yellow;  tail  feathers  uniform  olite; 
first  primary,  with  the  outer  half  of  the  outer  web,  nearly  white.  Female,  with  the 
gray  of  the  crown  glossed  with  olive;  the  chin  and  throat  paler  centrally,  and  tinged 
with  fUlvous;  a  dull  whitish  ring  round  the  eye. 

Length,  five  and  fifty  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  two  and  forty-five  one-hun- 
dtedtha  inches;  tail,  t-.T0  and  twenty-five  one-hundredths  inches. 

This  bird  is  very  rarely  found  in  New  England.  It  has 
been  taken  in  all  these  States,  but  in  such  small  numbers 
that  it  can  hardly  be  called  one  of  our  birds.  Mr.  Allen 
shot  two ;  I  have  taken  but  one ;  aad  Mr.  Verrill  gives  one 
or  two  instances  of  its  being  taken  in  Maine.  The  specimen 
that  I  captured  had  all  the  motions  and  habits  of  the  Mary- 
land Yellow-throat;  and  I  neglected  to  shoot  it  for  some 
time,  supposing  it  to  be  the  female  of  that  bird.  Its  note 
was  a  simple  chirp,  with  a  warbling  termination  like  the 
syllables  chirpchreee,  ahirpchreee,  uttered  in  a  soft,  pensive 
tone.    Of  its  breedi) .;  habits,  nest,  and  eggs,  I  am  ignorant. 


.  f 


208 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


OPORORNIS,  Baibd. 


Bill  gylvicoline,  rather  compressed ;  distinctly  notched  at  tip !  rictal  bristles  very 
much  reduced;  wings  elongated,  pointed,  much  longer  tlian  the  tail;  the  first  quill 
nearly  or  quite  the  longest;  tail  very  slightly  rounded;  tail  feathers  acuminate, 
pointed;  the  under  coverts  reaching  to  within  less  than  half  an  inch  of  their  tip; 
tarsi  elongated,  longer  than  the  head ;  claws  large,  the  hinder  one  as  long  as  its  digit, 
and  longer  than  the  lateral  toes;  above  olive-green,  beneath  yellow;  tail  and  wings 
immaculate ;  legs  yellow. 

0F0B0BNI3  AQILIS.—Baird. 

The  Conneoticttt  Warbler. 

Sylma  agili»,  Wilson.    Am.  Cm.,  V.  (1812)  64.    Aud.  Cm.  Biog.,  H.  (1834)  227. 

Sylvicola  agilit,  Cm.  Biog.,  II.  (1841)  71. 

Trichoi  agilU,  Nuttall.    Man.,  I.  (2d  ed.,  1840)  403. 

rWcAM  <fpAro«rtt»,  Nuttall.    Man.,  I.  (2d  ed.,  1840)  462. 

Description. 

Upper  parts  and  sides  of  the  body  uniform  olive-green,  very  slightly  tinged  with 
ash  on  the  crown;  sides  of  the  head  ash,  tinged  with  dusky  beneath  the  eye  (entire 
head  sometimes  ash);  chin  and  throat  grayish-ash,  gra^dually  becoming  darker  to 
the  upper  part  ot  the  breast,  where  it  becomes  tinged  with  dark-ash;  sides  of  the 
neck,  breast,  and  body  olive,  like  the  back;  rest  of  under  parts  light-yellow;  a 
broad,  continuous  white  ring  round  the  eye;  wings  and  tail  feathers  olive  (especially 
th«  latter),  without  any  trace  of  bars  or  spots;  bill  brown  above;  feet  yellow. 

Length,  six  inches;  wing,  three;  tail,  two  and  twenty-five  one-hundredths. 

This  is  another  very  rare  bird  in  New  England,  and  I 
have  never  met  with  a  specimen  that  was  taken  north  of 
Massachusetts.  In  West  Roxbury,  of  this  State,  in  a  large 
tract  of  pine  forest,  two  or  three  specimens  have  been  taken 
within  as  many  years.  So  far  as  I  can  learn,  this  species 
has  all  the  habits  and  motions  of  the  two  preceding.  It 
has  no  song,  but  utters  the  note  queet  often,  and  in  a 
sprightly  tone,  as  it  searches  among  the  shrubbery  for  its 
favorite  food  of  spiders  and  small  caterpillars. 


s  '■ 


ICTERIA,  ViKiLUW. 

Icteria,  Vieillot,  Ois.  Am.  Sept.  I.,  (1790)  85. 

Bill  shorter  than  the  head;  broad  at  the  base,  but  rapidly  becoming  compressed 
or  much  higher  than  broad,  with  the  ridge  elevated  and  sharp  from  the  very  base 
of  the  bill;  the  upper  outline  much  curved  throughout;  the  commissure  less  curved, 


THE   YELLOW-BREASTED   CHAT. 


209 


briMles  yeiy 
:he  first  quill 
3  acuminate, 
of  their  tip; 
gB9  it»  digit, 
lil  and  wings 


L  (1834)  227. 


Y  tinged  with 
le  eye  (entire 
ng  darker  to 
;  sides  of  the 
ght-yellow;  a 
ve  (especially 
yellow, 
dredths. 

tid,  and  I 
north  of 
in  a  large 
)een  taken 
lis  species 
eding.  It 
and  in  a 
jry  for  its 


ng  compressed 

the  very  base 

ire  less  curved, 


but  strongly  concave;  the  gonys  nearly  straight,  the  upper  edge  of  the  lower  jaw  as 
convex  as  the  commissure  is  concave;  no  notch  in  the  bill,  and  the  rictal  bristle* 
small;  tarsi  longer  than  the  toes,  without  scutcUie,  except  fnint  indications  on  the 
inner  side;  lateral  tops  about  equal,  shorter  than  the  hinder;  wings  about  equal  to 
the  tail,  rounded;  the  first  quill  longer  than  the  secondaries;  tail  graduoted,  above 
olive,  beneath  yellow ;  abdomen,  eyelids,  maxillary  patch,  and  line  to  the  bill, 
white. 

ICTEEIA  VIRIDIS.  — Sonaparte. 

The  Tellow-breaated  Chat. 

Muidcapa  viridis,  Gmelin.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1788)  036. 

Icleria  v>ndi$,  Bonaparte.  Obs.  Wilson  (1826),  No.  188.  Nutt.  Man.,  I.  (1882) 
289.    Aud.  Orn.  Biog.,  11.  (1834)  223,  V.  433. 

Pipra  polyghm,  Wilson.    Am.  Cm.,  I.  (1808)  90. 

Description. 

Third  and  fourth  quills  longest,  second  and  fifth  little  shorter,  first  nearly  equal 
to  the  sixth;  tail  graduated;  upper  ports  uniform  olive-green;  under  parts,  including 
the  inside  of  wing,  gamboge-yellow  as  far  as  nearly  half-way  from  the  point  of  the 
bill  to  the  tip  of  the  tail;  rest  of  under  porta  white,  tinged  with  brown  on  the  sides; 
the  outer  side  of  the  tibia  plumbeous;  a  slight  tinge  of  orange  across  the  breast; 
forehead  and  sides  of  the  head  ash,  the  lores  and  region  below  the  eye  blackish; 
a  white  stripe  from  the  nostrils  over  the  eye  and  involving  the  upper  eyelid;  a  patrh 
on  the  lower  lid,  and  a  short  stripe  from  the  side  of  the  lower  mandible,  and  running 
to  a  point  opposite  the  hinder  border  of  the  eye,  white;  bill  black;  feet  brown. 
Female  like  the  male,  but  smaller;  the  markings  indistinct;  the  lower  mandible  not 
pure-black. 

Length,  seven  and  forty  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  three  and  twenty-five 
one-hundredths ;  tail,  three  and  thirty  one-hundredths  inches. 

Massachusetts  seems  to  be  the  northern  limit  of  this 
bird's  habitat  in  New  England ;  and,  even  in  this  State,  it  is 
a  very  rare  species.  Every  season,  for  the  last  three  years,  a 
pair  has  nested  near  Lynn,  in  this  State ;  and  Mr.  Allen 
says,  that  they  are  sometimes  seen,  in  the  breeding  season, 
near  Springfield.  I  have  seen  great  numbers  of  these  birds 
in  the  Western  States;  their  habits,  song,  Ac,  are  well 
described  by  Nuttall  in  the  following : 

"The  males,  as  in  many  other  migrating  birds,  who  are  not 
continually  paired,  arrive  several  days  before  the  females.  As 
soon  as  our  bird  has  chosen  his  retreat,  which  is  commonly  in  some 
thorny  or  viny  thicket,  where  he  can  obtain  concealment,  he  becomes 
jealous  of  his  assumed  rights,  and  resents  the  least  intrusion,  scold- 
ing all  who  approach  in  a  variety  of  odd  and  uncouth  tones,  very 

14 


nr 


210 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOOr. 


difficult  to  describe  or  imitate,  except  by  a  whistling ;  in  wliich  case 
the  bird  may  be  made  to  approach,  but  seldom  within  sight.  His 
responses  on  such  occasions  are  constant  and  rapid,  expressive  of 
anger  and  anxiety  ;  and,  still  unseen,  his  voice  shifte  from  place  to 
place  amidst  the  thicket,  like  the  haunting  of  a  fairy.  Some  of 
these  notes  resemble  the  whistling  of  the  wings  of  a  flying  duck, 
at  first  loud  and  rapid,  then  sinking  till  they  seem  to  end  in  single 
notes.  A  succession  of  other  tones  are  now  heard,  some  like  the 
barking  of  young  puppies,  with  a  variety  of  hollow,  guttural,  un- 
common sounds,  frequently  repeated,  and  terminated  occasionally 
by  something  like  the  mewing  of  a  cat,  but  hoarser ;  a  tone,  to 
which  all  our  Vireos,  particularly  the  young,  have  frequent  recur- 
rence. All  these  notes  are  uttered  with  vehemence,  and  with  such 
strange  and  various  modulations  as  to  appear  near  or  distiint,  like 
the  manoeuvres  of  ventriloquism.  In  mild  weather  also,  when  the 
moon  shines,  this  gabbling,  with  exuberance  of  life  and  emotion,  is 
heard  nearly  throughout  the  night,  as  if  the  performer  were  dis- 
puting with  the  echoes  of  his  own  voice. 

"  About  the  middle  of  May,  soon  after  their  arrival,  the  icterias 
begin  to  build,  fixing  the  nest  commonly  in  a  bramble-bush,  in  an 
interlaced  thicket,  a  vine,  or  small  cedar,  four  or  five  feet  from  the 
ground.  The  outside  is  usually  composed  of  dry  leaves,  or  thin 
strips  of  grape-vine  bark,  and  with  root-fibres  and  dry,  slender 
blades  of  grass.  The  eggs  are  about  four,  pale  flesh-colored,  spotted 
all  over  with  brown  or  dull-red.  The  young  are  hatched  in  the 
short  period  of  twelve  days,  and  leave  the  neat  about  the  second 
week  in  June." 

Four  eggs  in  my  collection  exhibit  the  following  dimen- 
sions :  .71  by  .60  inch,  .70  by  .60  inch,  .68  by  .59  inch,  .67 
by  .58  inch.  . 

The  food  of  this  bird  consists  of  those  small  insects  and 
spiders  that  are  found  in  the  thick  shrubbery  of  brier  patches, 
and  on  the  ground  among  the  fallen  leaves.  It  also  occa- 
sionally captures  flying  insects  in  the  manner  of  the  Vireos ; 
and  this  fact  has  caused  it,  more  than  its  peculiarities  of 
form,  to  be  classed  by  some  authors  with  those  birds. 

By  the  first  week  in  September,  none  are  seen  in  New 


% 


THE  WORM-EATINO   WARBLEB. 


211 


England  ;  they  having  left  for  the  tropical  countries  of  South 
America,  wliere  they  spend  the  winter. 

HELMITIIERUS,  Rafinesquk. 

Helmithenu,  Rafisesqub,  Journal  de  Physique,  LXXXVIII.  (1810)  417.    (Type 
MotacilUi  vernmora. ) 

Bill  large  and  Btout,  compressed,  almost  tanagrine;  nearly  or  quite  as  long  as  the 
head;  culnicn  very  slightly  curved;  gonys  straight;  no  notch  in  the  bill;  rictal 
bristles  wanting;  tarsi  short,  — but  little  long.r,  if  any,  than  the  middle  toe;  tail 
considerably  shorter  than  the  wings,  rather  rounded;  wings  rather  long,  the  first 
quill  a  little  shorter  than  the  second  and  third. 


177. 


HELMITBOBBDS  VEBMIVOBUS.  —  Sonoparle. 

The  Worm-eatinfr  Warbler. 

1  MoUiciOa  vtrmimra,  Gmelin.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1788)  951. 
Bylvia  vermiwra,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  III.  (1811)  74.    Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  I.  (1883) 
7. 
£y{«ta  (Dacmt)  vermivora,  Nuttall.    Man.,  I.  (1882)  409. 


Descriftioic. 

Bill  nearly  as  long  as  the  head;  upper  parts  generally  rather  clear  olive-green; 
head  with  four  black  stripes  and  three  brownish-yellow  ones,  namely,  a  black  one 
on  each  side  of  the  crown,  and  one  from  behind  the  eye  (extending,  in  fact,  a  little 
anterior  to  it),  a  broader  median  yellow  one  on  the  crown,  and  a  superciliary  from 
the  bill ;  under  parts  pale  brownish-yellow,  tinged  with  buff  across  the  breast,  and 
with  olivaceous  on  the  sides;  tail  unspotted.    Female  nearly  similar. 

Length,  five  and  fifty  one-hundredth«  inches j  wing,  three;  tail,  two  and  thirty- 
five  one-hundredths  inches. 

This  species  is  so  rarely  seen  in  New  England,  that  it  can 
be  regarded  only  as  a  straggler.  I  have  never  met  with  a 
specimen  alive,  although  it  has  been  taken  in  all  these 
States.    Audubon  describes  its  habits  as  follows :  -r- 

"  It  is  an  inhabitant  of  the  interior  of  the  forests,  and  is  seldom 
found  on  the  borders  of  roads  or  in  the  fields.  In  spring,  faey 
move  in  pairs ;  and,  during  their  retrograde  marches,  in  little 
groups,  consisting  each  of  a  family,  seven  or  eight  in  number: 
on  which  account  I  am  inclined  to  believe  that  they  raise  only  a 
single  brood  in  the  year.  They  are  ever  amongst  the  decayed 
branches  of  trees  or  other  plants,  such  as  are  accidentally  broken 
off  by  the  wind,  and  are  there  seen  searching  for  insects  or  cater- 


212 


OltNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


pillars.  Tho.y  also  resort  to  tin-  ground,  and  turn  over  the  dried 
leaves  in  quest  of  the  same  kind  of  food.  They  are  un8U8i)ecting, 
and  will  suflFer  a  pt'tson  to  approach  within  a  few  paces.  When 
disturbed,  they  fly  ofl'  to  some  place  where  withered  leaves  are 
seen.  They  have  only  a  few  weak  notes,  which  do  not  deserve 
the  name  of  song.  Their  industry,  however,  atones  for  this  defect, 
as  they  are  seen  continually  moving  about,  rustling  among  the 
leaves,  and  scarcely  ever  removing  from  one  situation  to  another, 
until  after  they  have  made  a  full  inspection  of  the  part  in  which 
they  have  been  employed." 

Mr.  T.  H.  Jackson,  of  Westchester,  Pa.,  descrilios,  in  the 
Am.  Naturalist,  the  nest  and  eggs  of  this  bird  as  follows :  — 

"  On  the  6th  of  June,  1869, 1  found  a  nest  of  this  species 
containing  five  eggs.  It  was  placed  in  a  hollow  on  the 
ground  much  like  the  nest  of  the  oven  bird  {Sdurus  auroca- 
pi/lus),  and  was  hidden  from  sight  by  the  dry  leaves  that 
lay  thickly  around.  The  nest  was  composed  externally  of 
dead  leaves,  mostly  those  of  the  beech,  while  the  interior 
was  prettily  lined  with  the  fine  thread-like  stalks  of  the 
hair-moss  ^^Polyti-ichium).  Altogether  it  was  a  very  neat 
structure,  and  looked  to  me  as  if  the  owner  was  habitually 
a  ground-nesi.  r.  The  eggs  most  nearly  resemble  those  of 
the  white-bellied  Nuthatch  (^Sitta  Carolinmm'),  though  the 
markings  are  fewer  and  less  distinct.  So  close  did  the 
female  sit  that  I  captured  her  without  difficulty  by  placing 
my  hat  over  the  nest." 

HELMINTHOPHAQA,   Cabanis. 

BelminChophaga,  Cabanis,  Mub.  Hein.  ( 1860-61)  20.    (T  vpe  Sylvia  ruficnpiUa.) 
Bill  elongated,  conical,  very  ai  ite;  the  outlines  very  n  arly  straight,  sometimes 
slightly  decurvcd;  no  trace  of  notch  at  the  tip;  wings  long  and  pointed ;  the  lirat 
quill  nearly  or  quite  the  longest;  tail  nearly  even  or  sliglitly  emarginate;  short  and 
rather  slender;  tarsi  longer  than  the  middle  toe. 

HEIiMIHTHOPHAOA  HHUS.— Satri 

The  Blue-winged  Tellow  Warbler. 

Cerrtwoin  ^.Linnseua.    Syst.  Nat,  I.  (1768)  187.    Gm..  I.  (1788)  478. 

Sylriia  Kliln ,  I. ,    Vilson.    Am.  O  m.,  II.  ( 1810)  109.    Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  I.  (1882)  102. 

i^cia  (D<'<nit)  solitaria,  Nutta.       Man.,  I.  (1882)  410. 


THE  BLDE>-W!NOED   YELLOW   WAUBLKR. 


218 


DUCRIFTIOil. 

Upper  parts  nid  cheek*  olive-green,  brlfthteit  on  the  nuiip!  the  wlnR»,  Uil,  and 
upper  tail  covert.,  in  p-rt,  bluiBh-gray ;  an  intensely  bUck  jmtch  «W.m  lh«  hlua- 
Waek  liill  to  the  eye,  continued  a  nhort  diitance  behind  it;  crown,  except  behind, 
and  the  under  parti  ReneroUy,  rich  orange-yellow  j  the  inner  wing  and  under  tail 
coverts  white;  eyelidi,  and  a  short  line  above  and  behind  the  eye,  brighter  yellow; 
wing  with  two  white  bands;  two  outer  Uil  fcatherd  with  most  of  the  inner  web, 
third  one  with  a  spot  at  the  end  white.  Female  and  young  similar,  duller,  with 
more  olivaceous  on  the  crown. 

Length,  four  and  fifty  one-hundredths  inohei;  wing,  two  and  forty  one-hun- 
dredths  inches;  Uil,  tw"  «nd  ten  one-hundredths  inchea. 

This  species  is  also  very  rare  in  New  England.  In  1857, 
in  the  month  of  May,  about  the  12th  or  ISth,  I  found  a 
small  flock  in  a  swamp  in  Dedham,  Mass.  They  wore 
actively  employed  in  catching  flying  insects,  and  were  so 
little  mistrustful,  that  they  permitted  mo  to  approach  qtiite 
near,  and  observe  their  motions.  I  noticed  nothing  pecu- 
liar in  them  ;  but  they  had  all  the  activity  and  industry  of 
the  true  arboreal  Warblers.  I  know  nothing  of  their  breed- 
ing habits,  and  will  give  the  descriptiou  by  Wilson  of  the 
.nest  and  eggs.    He  says, — 

"  This  bird  has  been  mistaken  for  the  Pine  Creeper  of  Catesby. 
It  is  a  very  different  species.  It  comes  to  us  early  in  May  from 
the  South ;  haunto  thickets  and  shrubberies,  searching  the  branches 
for  insects  ;  is  fond  of  visiting  gardtms,  orchards,  and  willow-trees, 
of  gleaning  among  blossoms  and  currant-bushes  ;  and  is  frequently 
found  in  very  sequestered  woods,  where  it  generally  builds  its  nest. 
This  is  fixed  in  a  thick  bunch  or  tussock  of  long  grass,  sometimes 
sheltered  ly  a  brier  bush.  It  is  built  in  the  form  of  an  inverted 
cone  or  funnel,  the  bottom  thickly  bedded  with  dry  beech-leaves, 
the  sides  formed  of  the  dry  bark  of  strong  weeds  lined  within  with 
fine,  dry  grass.  These  materials  are  not  placed  in  the  usual 
manner,  circularly,  but  shelving  downwards  on  all  sides  from  the 
top ;  the  mouth  being  wide,  the  bottom  very  narrow,  filled  with 
leaves,  aud  the  eggs  or  young  occupying  the  middle.  The  female 
lays  five  eggs,  pure-white,  with  a  few  very  faint  dots  of  reddish 
near  the  great  end ;  the  young  appear  the  first  week  in  June.  I 
am  not  certain  whether  they  raise  a  second  brood  m  the  same 

season. 

"  I  have  met  with  several  of  these  nests,  always  in  a  retired 
though  open  part  of  the  woods,  and  very  similar  to  each  other." 


214 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


HELMIHTHOPHAOA  CHBT80PTEEA.  -  CitbanU. 
The  Qolden-winged  Warbler. 

MolaciUa  chry»opUra,  Llnn«u..    Sy.t.  N.t.,  L  (1788)  838     Gm.  8y.t  N.t., 

1.(1788)071. 

fly/wa  eAryuytera,  Wilion.    Am.  Om.,  11.  (1810)  118. 

Dkbchiptioii. 

Upper  p»rt«  uniform  bluUh-grny;  .he  Lead  above  end  a  large  patch  «"  the  w'nR. 
rellow,  a  broad  .treak  from  the  bill  through  and  boh.ud  the  eye  w.th  the  ch.n, 
Sroat,  and  forepart  of  the  breast,  black,  the  external  edge  of  the  yellow  crown  con- 
Unuous  with  a  broad  pntch  on  the  .ide  of  the  occiput  above  the  aur.cular,  a  broad 
max  lary  .tripe  widening  on  the  .ide  of  the  neck,  the  m.der  part«  generally,  w.  h 
m"  ofThe  inner  webs  of  the  outer  three  tail  feather,  white,  the  ..de.  of  the  body 
pale  anhcolor.    Female  similar,  but  duller.  .       .     ..u    i„„i.„.  »,il 

Length,  about  tlve  inche.,  wing,  two  and  .ixty-flve  one-hundredth,  inche.,  tail, 
two  and  tw«nty-flve  one-hundredth,  inches. 

i«Thia  handsomely  marked  species  has  hitherto  been  con- 
sidered a  very  rare  bird  in  New  Engkiid ;  but  it  is  less 
uncommon  than  it  is  supposed  to  be.  Tlie  first  one  I  saw 
was  caught  by  a  cat  in  a  garden  in  West  Newton,  Mass. 
This  was  on  May  16, 1861.  That  year,  and  since,  I  have 
found  it  occurring,  in  small  numbers,  from  the  14th  to  the 
30th  of  May.  The  higher  branches  of  trees,  in  the  vicinity 
of  swampy  land ,  appear  to  be  its  favorite  hunting-places.  It 
■  may  be  seen  seeking  its  food  quite  diligently  along  the 
branches  and  among  the  twigs,  moving  by  short  leaps,  and 
stopping  often  to  utter  its  drawling  note,  'zee-zee-zee-zee   or 

'dee-dee-dee-dee.'  ^  .  ,    .  u • 

«  I  once  saw  one,  who,  having  seemingly  fijushed  his 
morning  meal,  was  perched  on  tlie  topmost  twig  of  a  tree, 
quite  motionless,  occasionally  uttering  the  above  song, 
which  is  easily  recognized  from  that  of  any  of  our  other 
Warblers.  On  my  alarming  him.  he  flew  down  among  the 
undeigrowth  of  young  birches,  and  permitted  me  to  approach 
quite  near  him:  while  watching  his  movements,  I  observed 
a  Nashville  Warbler  alight  on  the  same  bush  in  which  he 
was  moving,  when  the  Golden-wing  immediately  gave  fight, 
and  chased  the  intruder  away.    I  have  never  observed  the 

1  See  Appendix. 


THE   NASHVILLE   WAKULKR. 


216 


Syit.  Nkt., 


on  the  wlngi 
ith  the  chin, 
w  crown  con- 
ilarn,  a  broad 
sncrally,  with 
I  of  the  body 

I  inches ;  t«U, 


bcou  con- 
it  is  less 
one  I  saw 
ton,  Mass. 
ce,  I  have 
Ith  to  the' 
ho  vicinity 
Dlacos.  It 
along  the 
leaps,  and 
j-zee-zee'  or 

nished  his 
y  of  a  tree, 
Dovo  song, 
'  our  other 
among  the 
to  approach 
I  observed 
a  which  he 
gave  fight, 
^served  the 


BpocicH  in  autumn,  and  all  the  specimens  that  I  have  met 
with  wore  males.  It  roars  its  young  in  the  more  northern 
regions  probably ;  and  winters  beyond  tho  southern  limits 
of  tho  Union,  in  tho  West  Indies,  Central  Amt>rica,  and 
oven  as  far  south  as  Bogota,  S.A.  This  VVarlder  is  not 
given  in  any  of  tho  lists  of  the  birds  of  Maine  or  Vermont 
that  I  have  soon  ;  but,  as  it  occurs  in  such  small  nunibors,  it 
may  have  been  overlooked,  or  perhaps  is  now  becoming  a 
regular  visitor,  during  tho  spring  migratioixs,  in  New  Eng- 
land." —  Letter  from  Umry  A.  Furdie. 

HELMINTHOPHAGA  RUFICAPItLA.  —  Baird. 

The  Nashville  Warbler.- 

Sylvia  ruficnpilla,  Wilson.  Am.  Om.,  IIL  (1811)  HO.  Aud.  Orn.  Biog.,  1. 
(1832)  460. 

Byhia  rubricapiUa,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  VI.  (1812)  16. 
Bylvia  (DacnU)  rubncajnlta,  Nuttall.    Man.,  I.  (1632)  412. 

Dkscriptiok. 

Head  and  neck  above  and  on  sides  ash-gray,  the  crown  with  a  patch  of  con- 
ccaled  dark  brownisli-oraiiKe  hidden  by  ashy  tips  to  tho  feathers;  uppor  parts 
olive-grccii,  brightest  on  tho  rump;  under  parts  generally,  with  the  edge  of  the 
wing  deep  yellow;  tho  anal  region  paler;  the  sides  tinged  with  olive;  a  brond  yel- 
lowish-white ring  round  the  eye ;  the  lores  yellowis'  ;  no  superciliary  stripe ;  the 
Inner  edges  of  the  tail  feathers  mnrgincd  with  dull-white.  Female  similar,  but 
dullor;  the  under  parts  paler;  but  little  trace  of  the  red  of  the  crown. 

The  bill  is  very  acute;  the  wings  long  and  pointed;  the  Uil  emarginate,  not 
rounded. 

In  autumn,  the  entire  upper  parts  are  olive-green,  tinged  with  yellowish  on  the 
rump,  sometimes  with  brownish  on  tlie  head ;  the  patch  on  tho  crown  more  or  less 
concealed;  the  female  hat  the  white  on  the  middle  of  tlie  belly  more  extended. 

Length,  four  and  sixty-five  one-hundredfhs  inches;  wing,  two  and  forty-two 
one-hundrcdths  inches;  Uil,  two  and  five  one-hundredths  inches. 

This  species  is  quite  common  in  the  spring  migrations, 
arriving  about  the  first  week  in  May  ;  but  few  breed  in  the 
southern  districts  of  New  England.  Like  some  other  spe- 
cies, it  has  grown  much  more  abundant  than  it  was  a  few 
years  since,  and  is  now  quite  common  in  localities  whore  it 
was  once  a  stranger.  Its  habits  are  like  those  of  the  other 
Warblers,  eminently  active  aud  industrious:  it  seems  always 


jk 


•  F- 


^^yi^^^ff^''- 


I 


216 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


!i-i 


moving  through  the  foliage,  gleaning  its  insect  food.  Its 
note  is  a  peculiar  oe,  and  easily  recognized :  it  is  best 
described  or  illustrated  by  the  sound  produced  by  striking 
two  pebbles  together  with  some  force. 

About  the  20th  of  June,  after  the  birds  have  paired,  they 
commence  building  the  nest :  this  is  usually  placed  on  the 
ground,  in  a  slight  depression  usually  made  by  the  birds 
themselves.  A  specimen  before  me  containing  three  eggs, 
collected  in  Maiden,  Mass.,  by  Mr.  H.  A.  Purdie,  is  con- 
structed of  the  leaves  of  the  pine,  which  are  very  neatly 
woven  into  a  compact,  circular  fabric,  deeply  hollowed,  and 
lined  with  horsehair  and  fine  leaves  of  the  pine :  the  eggs 
are  of  a  white  color,  with  a  very  faint  rosy  tint,  and  covered 
irregularly  with  dots  of  reddish-brown  and  obscure  lilac. 
Dimensions  of  the  three  specimens :  .61  by  .60  inch,  .60  by 
.48  inch,  .58  by  .48  inch.  J.  A.  Allen,  in  his  "  Catalogue 
of  the  Birds  of  Springfield,  Mass.,"  gives  the  following 
exceedingly  interesting  description  of  the  nest  and  eggs 
of  this  bird:  — 

"  I  have  found  the  nest  of  this  species  for  two  successive 
seasons  as  follows :  May  31, 18G2,  containing  four  freshly  iaid  eggs. 
The  nest  was  placed  on  the  ground,  and  sunken  so  that  the  top  of 
the  nest  was  level  with  the  surface  of  the  ground,  and  protected 
and  completely  concealed  above  by  the  dead  grass  and  weeds  of 
the  previous  year.  It  wrs  composed  of  fine  rootlets  and  dry  grass, 
lined  with  fine,  dry  grass  and  a  few  horsehairs,  and  covered 
exteriorly  with  a  species  of  fine,  green  moss.  The  eggs  were 
white,  sprinkled  with  light  reddish-brown  specks,  most  thickly 
near  the  larger  end.  Longer  diameter  sixty,  and  the  shorter  fifty 
one-hundredths  inch.  The  following  year,  June  5,  1863,  I  found 
another  nest  of  this  species,  within  three  or  four  feet  of  where 
the  one  was  discovered  the  previous  year,  and  containing  three 
eggs  of  this  species,  and  one  of  the  Cow  Bunting,  in  all  of  which 
the  embryos  were  far  advanced.  The  nest,  in  every  particular, 
was  built  and  arranged  like  the  one  above  described ;  and  the  eggs 
must  have  been  laid  at  just  about  the  same  season.  In  both  cases, 
the  female  bird  was  secured,  and  the  identity  ascertained  beyond 


I 


THE  TENNESSEE  WARBLER. 


217 


question.  The  locality  of  tne  nests  was  a  mossy  bank,  at  the  edge 
of  young  woods,  sloping  southward,  and  covered  with  bushes  and 
coarser  plants." 

HELUINTHOPEAOA  PEEEOBINA.  —  Coianw. 
The  Tennessee  Warbler. 

iSjWt  peregrim,  Wilson.  Am.  Om.,  III.  (1811)  83.  Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  U. 
(1834)  JOT. 

Sylvia  {Dacnu)  peregrim,  Nuttall.    Man.,  I.  (1883)  412. 

Description. 

Top  and  sides  of  the  head  and  neck  ash-gray ;  rest  of  upper  parts  olive-green, 
brightest  on  the  rump;  beneath  dull-white,  faintly  tinged  in  places,  especially  on  the 
sides,  with  yellowish-olive;  eyelids  and  a  stripe  over  the  eye  whitish;  a  dusky  line 
from  ^he  eye  to  the  bill;  outer  tail  feather  with  a  white  spot  along  the  inner  edge, 
near  the  tip.  Female,  with  the  ash  of  the  head  less  conspicuous;  the  under  parts 
more  tinged  with  olive-yellow. 

Length,  four  and  fifty  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  two  and  ieventy-flve  one- 
hundredths;  tail,  one  and  eighty-five  one-hundredths  inches. 

This  bird  is  an  extremely  rare  summer  visitor  in  New 
England.  Mr.  Allen  says  he  has  taken  it  on  Sept.  19  and 
May  29 :  this  shows  that  it  passes  north  to  breed,  but  where 
it  passes  the  season  of  incubation  we  are  ignorant.  The 
species  itself  seems  to  be  a  very  small  one ;  and,  as  the  mem- 
bers are  so  few,  they  may  be  easily  overlooked  in  the 
forest  through  the  wliole  season,  particularly  as  they  are 
quiet  and  retiring  in  habits.  I  think  that,  perhaps,  the 
wilder  sections  of  Maine  and  New  Hampshire  may  give  it  a 
summer  home,  but  of  course  can  only  judge  from  the  above 
reasons. 

Mr.  Geo.  A.  Boardman  says  in  the  Am.  Naturalist  that  a 
few  remain  in  his  locality  (Calais,  Mo.)  through  the  season, 
from  which  I  judge  that  it  breeds  there. 

SEIURUS,  SwAiNSON. 

Seiunu,  Swainson,  Zool.  Jour.,  III.  (1827)  171.  (SuflSciently  distinct  flrom 
Sciurtu.    Type  Motacilla  aurocapiUa,  L.) 

Bill  rather  sylvicoline,  compressed,  with  a  distinct  notch ;  gonys  ascending;  rictal 
bristles  very  short;  wings  moderate,  about  three-quarters  of  an  inch  longer  than  the 
tail;  first  quill  scarcely  shorter  than  the  secondj  tail  slightly  rounded;  feathers  acu- 


— ^.=-villillil1 


niBiiTfiMinmiiMf 


iiiBwr>»mM 


BairlliWr 


I 


ORNITHOLOGY   .iND  OOLOOy. 


minate;  tarsi  about  as  long  a»  the  gkvdl,  considerably  exceediug  the  middle  toe; 
under  tail  coverts  rcacliing  withiu  about  half  an  inch  of  the  end  of  the  tail;  color 
above  olivaceous;  beneath  whiUsh,  thickly  streaked  on  the  breast  and  sides;  wings 
and  tail  immaculate. 

SEIUEUS  AUEOCAPILLTJS.— StooiMOB. 


/,  The  Oven-bird;  Golden-crowned  Thrrsh.- 


Gm.,  I.  (1788)  982. 
Aud.  Orp.  Biog.,  II. 


MotaciUa  aurocajnUa,  Linnffius.    Syst.  Nat,  I.  (1766)  884 
Turdtu  aurocajAUut,Vf  ihon.     Am.  Om.,  II.  (1810)  88, 
(1834)253;  V.  (1839)  447. 

TurAu  (SetuiiM)  aurocapiUus,  Nuttall.    Man.,  I.  (1882)  856. 

Description. 

Above  uniform  olive-green,  with  a  tinge  of  yellow;  crown  with  two  narrow 
streaks  of  black  from  the  bill,  enclosing  a  median  and  much  broader  one  of  brownish- 
orange;  beneath  white;  the  breast,  sides  of  the  body,  and  a  maxillary  line  streaked 
with  black.    The  female,  and  young  of  the  year,  are  not  appreciably  different. 

Length,  six  inches;  wing,  three  inches-,  tail,  two  and  forQr  one-hundrodths 
inches. 

This  beautiful  and  well-known  bird  is  a  common  summer 
inhabitant  of  New  England,  brjeeding  abiindautly  in  all  the 
States.    It  arrives  from  the  South  about  the  last  week  in 
April  or  first  in  May,  and  soon  commences  builiing.     The 
birds  are  not  often  paired  on  their  arrival,  and  many  are 
the  little  quarrels  and  battles  that  occur  between  two  or 
three  males  for  the  possesision  of  one  of  the  opposite  sex. 
The  birds  both  work  diligently  in  tlie  construction  of  the 
nest,  which  is  a  model  of  neatness  and  ingenuity.    It  is 
built  on  the  ground  in  the  woods,  usually  in  a  dry  situation. 
The  materials  used  are  dry  leaves  and  fe-rasses :  these  are 
arranged  compactly  together,  and  built  over  at  the  top,  the 
entrance  being  on  the  side,  like  an  old-fashioned  oven; 
hence  the  familiar  name  of  the  "  Oven-bird."    The  nest  is 
usually  placed  in  a  slight  hollow  in  the  earth,  scratched  by 
the  birds,  and  is  lined  with  soft  grasses  and  hairs.     The 
eggs  are  from  three  to  five  in  number,  usually  four.    They 
are  of  a  delicate  creamy-white  color,  and  spotted  irregularly 
with  different  shades  of  reddish-brown  ;  and  some  specimens 
have  a  number  of  spots  of  obscure  lilac-color.    The  mark- 


i^mmmm 


middle  toe; 
,e  tail;  color 
lides;  wings 


1788)  982. 
p.  Biog.,  II. 


two  narrow 
of  brownish- 
line  streaked 
iffcrent. 
le-hundrcdths 


1  summer 
in  all  the 
t  week  ill 
iiig.  The 
many  are 
en  two  or 
losite  sex. 
on  of  the 
ity.    It  is 

situation. 

these  are 
le  top,  the 
led  oven; 
he  nest  ia 
•atched  by 
airs.  The 
lur.  They 
irregularly 

specimens 
The  mark- 


THB  OVEN-BIED. 


219 


ings  are  usually  thickest  at  the  larger  end  of  the  egg,  where 
they  are  often  confluent,  and  cover  the  primary  color. 
Dimensions  of  four  specimens  collected  in  a  nest  in  West 
Roxbury,  Mass. :  .80  by  ,64  inch,  .79  by  .64  inch,  .79  by 
.62  inch,  .78  by  .62  inch.  A  great  number  of  specimens, 
collected  in  different  localities  of  New  England,  show  no 
great  variations  from  these  measurements. 

The  habits  of  this  bird  are  so  well  known  that  an  ex- 
tended description  here  is  scarcely  needed.  It  is  seldom 
found  in  any  but  the  most  retired  and  thickly  wooded  local- 
ities, and  it  generally  prefers  the  neighborhood  of  a  swamp 
for  its  home.  Its  song  is  a  peculiar  one,  and  easily  recog- 
nized :  it  consists  of  the  repeated  utterance  of  the  syllables, 
quicha,  quicha,  qiwilia,  quicha,  quicha,  begun  at  first  very 
low,  and  rapidly  increasing  in  volume.  I  have  heard  this 
song,  in  the  mating  and  incubatin?;  seasons,  at  all  hours  of 
the  night :  the  bird  seems,  at  that  time,  to  ascend  into  the 
air  to  a  considerable  height,  and  utters  its  notes  while  hover- 
ing and  slowly  descending.  I  have  noticed  the  same  habit 
in  the  Maryland  Yellow-throat  and  some  other  birds ;  and 
suppose  tliat  it  is  owing  to,  and  to  show,  his  great  affection 
for  his  mate,  and' to  anxiety  for  the  success  of  her  labors. 

When  on  the  ground,  the  Oven-bird  runs  with  great 
rapidity,  frequently  jotting  its  tail  and  uttering  its  sharp 
alarm-note:  if  the  nest  is  approached,  the  male  throws 
himself  in  the  way  of  the  intruder,  and  endeavors  to  draw 
him  from  its  vicinity,  scolding  all  the  time  with  the  greatest 
vehemence.  If  the  female  is  driven  from  her  domicile,  she 
suddenly  flutters  along  the  ground,  her  wings  extended, 
counterfeiting  lameness  in  a  very  natural  and  generally 
effective  manner. 

This  species,  in  consequence  of  its  eminently  terrestrial 
habits,  often  falls  a  victim  to  snakes  and  skunks.  I  have 
repeatedly  found  nests,  and  le^t  them,  in  order  that  I  might 
acquaint  myself  with  the  breeding  peculiarities  of  the  bird  ; 
and  in  a  day  or  two,  on  paying  it  a  second  visit,  found 


i 


.J 


u 


220 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


'that  a  ticunk  or  other  depredator  had  destroyed  the  whole 

family. 

The  Oven-bird  feeds  principally  upon  small  insects  and 
smooth  caterpillars,  which  it  obtains  usually  on  the  ground, 
among  the  fallen  leaves :  when  berries  are  in  season,  it  feeds 
occasionally  upon  them;  and  it  seems  particularly  fond  of 
small  spiders,  with  which  I  have  sometimes  found  its  sto  .» 
ach  filled.  About  the  12th  or  15th  of  September,  after  the 
young  birds  have  become  capable  of  providing  for  them- 
selves, the  whole  family  leave  for  the  South. 

SEIUEDS  NOVEBOBAOENSIS.— ;V««a«. 

The  Water  Thrush;  Water  Wagtail. 

MntactUa  NoveboracetUM,  Gmelin.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1788)  968. 

Turdu»(SeiurM)  Noveboracensii,  •SattoXl.    Man.,  L  (1832)  868.  „„„.„, 

Turdmaquaticut,  mhon.   Am.  Orn.,  IIL  (1811)  68.   Aud.  Dm.  Biog.,  V.  (1889) 

284. 

Description. 

Bill  from  rictus,  about  the  length  of  the  skull;  above  olive-brown,  with  «  shade 
of  green;  beneath  pale  sulphur-yellow,  brightest  on  the  abdomen;  region  about  the 
ba^  of  the  lower  mandible,  and  a  superciliary  line  from  the  base  of  the  bill  to  the 
nape,  brownish-yellow;  a  dusky  lino  from  the  bill  through  the  eye;  chm  and  throat 
finely  spotted;  all  the  remaining  under  parts  and  sides  of  the  body,  except  the 
abdomen,  and  including  the  under  tail  coverts,  conspicuously  and  thickly  streaked 
with  olivaceous-brown,  almost  black  on  the  breast. 

Length,  six  and  fifteen  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  three  and  twelve  one-hun- 
dredths  inches;  tail,  two  and  forty  one-hundredths  inches;  bill,  from  nctus,  siyty- 
four  one-hundredths  of  an  inch. 

This  bird  is  not  very  uncommon  in  New  England  in  ihe 
spring  and  fall  migrations  (arriving  about  the  Ist  of  May, 
and  departing  about  the  last  week  in  September) ;  and  I 
have  sometimes  seen  it  in  summer  in  Massachusotts.  It 
undoubtedly  breeds  in  the  three  northern  of  these  States, 
and  probably  in  them  all.  In  its  habits,  it  much  resembles 
the  preceding  species ;  but  it  is  seldom  found  in  any  but  a 

wet  locality. 

Wilson  says,  "  This  bird  is  remarkable  for  its  partiality 
to  brooks,  riv(;iM,  bJ.vres,  ponds,  and  streams  of  water; 


raiiiipiif^p^'^^^*^^^ 


THE  WATBBrTHBUSH. 


221 


wading  in  the  shallows  in  search  of  aquatic  insects,  wag- 
ging the  tail  almost  continually,  chattering  as  it  flies  ;  and, 
in  short,  possesses  many  strong  traits  and  habits  of  the 
Water  Wagtail.  It  is  also  exceedingly  shy,  darting  away 
on  the  least  attempt  to  approach  it,  and  uttering  a  sharp 
chip  repeatedly,  as  if  greatly  alarmed." 

Although  I  have  met  with  quite  a  number  of  these  birds 
in  their  sylvan  haunts,  I  have  never  heard  them  sing.    That 
it  possesses  a  beautiful  song  most  writers  agree  ;  it?  notes 
are  described  as  follows:   "They  are  eminently  distin- 
guished by  the  loudness,  sweetness,  and  expressive  vivacity 
of  their  notes,  which  begin  very  high  and  clear,  falling  with 
an  almost  imperceptible  gradation  till  they  are  scarcely 
articulated.     At  these  times,  the  musician  is  perched  on 
the  middle  branches  of  a  tree  over  the  brook  or  river  bank, 
pouring  out  his  charming  melody,  that  may  be  distinctly 
heard  for  nearly  half  a  mile.    The  voice  of  this  little  bird 
appeared  to  me  so  exquisitely  sweet  and  expressive,  that  I 
was  never  tired  of  listening  to  it,  while  traversing  the  deep- 
shaded   hollows   of  those   cane-brakes   where   it    usually 

resorts." 

Although  I  have  looked  repeatedly  for  the  nest  of  this 
species,  I  have  never  been  able  to  find  one,  aui  will  be 
obliged  to  use  the  description  of  others.  Mr.  Verrill  says, 
in  his  paper  on  Maine  birds,  before  referred  to :  — 

«  A  nest  foind,  June  8,  1861 ,  in  a  dense  cedar  swamp,  was  built 
in  an  excavation  in  the  side  of  a  decayed,  moss-iovered  log,  so  that 
the  excavation  itself  formed  an  arch  over  the  nest,  instead  of  one 
made  by  the  bird,  as  in  the  preceding  spec'es.  The  nest  was  con- 
structed  of  moss,  and  lined  with  fine  roots.  The  five  eggs  were  of 
a  delicate  fiesh-color,  spotted  with  light  reddiah-brown." 

Nuttall  says  of  the  nest :  — 

"  It  is  placed  usually  at  the  foot  of  a  tree,  or  by  the  side  of  a 
decayed  log,  and  is  formed  of  dry  leaves,  moss,  and  fine  grass ; 
bemg  lined  with  hah:  or  the  similar  fibres  of  the  Spanish  moss 


i 


"VVM 


J. 


222 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND   OOLOGY. 


(JXlandsia).    The  eggs  are  four  or  five,  flesh-colored,  with  dark 
Bpots  at  the  greater  end." 

Several  eggs  in  my  collection  agree  with  tlie  above  descrip- 
tion :  they  exhibit  an  average  of  .81  by  .63  inch  in  dimen- 
sions. 

DENDROICA,  Gkat. 

Sylvicola,  Gkat,  Genera  Birds  (2d  ed.,  1811),  82.  (Not  o(  Humphreys  or  Swain- 
ion.) 

Dendroica,  Gray,  Genera  Birds,  Appendix  (1842)  8. 

Bill  conical,  attenuated,  depressed  at  the  base,  where  it  is,  however,  scarcely 
broader  than  high,  compressed  from  the  middle;  culmen  straight  for  the  basal  half, 
then  rather  rapidly  curving,  the  lower  edge  of  upper  mandible  also  concave ;  gonys 
slightly  convex  and  ascending;  a  distinct  notch  near  the  end  of  the  bill;  bristles, 
though  short,  generally  quite  distinct  at  the  base  of  the  bill ;  tarsi  long,  decidedly 
longer  than  middle  toe,  which  is  longer  than  the  binder  one;  the  claws  rather  small 
and  much  curved,  the  hiud  claw  nearly  as  long  as  its  digit;  the  wings  long  and 
pointed;  the  second  quill  usually  a  very  little  longer  than  the  first;  the  tail  slightly 
rounded  and  emarginate. 

Colors. — Tail  always  with  a.white  spot;  its  ground-color  never  clear  olive-green. 

DENDROICA  VIRENS.— ^oirrf. 

The  Black-throated  Oreen  Warbler. 

ifotacilia  virens,  Gmelin.    Syst.  Nat,  I.  (1788)  985. 

Sylvia  virens,  Wilson.    Am.  Dm.,  U.  (1810)  127.     Nntt  Man.,  I.  (1882)  876. 
Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  IV.  (1838)  70. 
Sylvicola  virens. 

Descriftiok. 

Male,  upper  parts,  exclusive  of  wing  and  tail,  clear  yellow  olive-green,  the 
feathers  of  the  back  with  hidden  streaks  of  black ;  forehead  and  sides  of  head  and 
neck,  including  a  superciliary  stripe,  bright  yellow;  a  dusky-olive  line  from  the  bill 
through  the  eye,  and  another  below  it ;  chin,  throat,  and  fore  part  of  breast,  extend- 
ing some  distance  along  on  the  sides,  continuous  blach;  rest  of  under  parts  white, 
tinged  with  yellow  on  the  breast  and  flanks;  wings  and  tail  feathers  dark-brown, 
edged  with  bluish-gray;  two  white  bands  on  the  wing;  the  greater  part  of  the  throe 
outer  tail  feathers  white.  Female,  similar,  but  duller;  the  throat  yellow;  the  black 
on  breast  much  concealed  by  white  edges;  the  sides  streaked  with  black. 

Length,  five  inches;  wing,  two  and  fifty-eight  one-hundredths ;  tail,  two  and 
thirty  one-hundredths  inches. 


This  beautiful  bird  is  a  quite  common  species  in  Rhode 
Island,  Connecticut,  and  Massachusetts,  and  is  not  rare  in 
the  other  New-England  States,  in  which,  I  have  no  doubt,  it 


■r^-'^f'^S'^rfiifl  irinti^if^'-"^-'^?  ■-'■•  r"r™T'V" 


THE  BLACK-THROATED   GREEN  WARBLER. 


228 


breeds,  though  not  nearly  so  abundantly  as  in  those  first 
me-itioned.  It  arrives  from  the  South  from  about  the  25th 
of  April  to  the  Ist  of  May,  in  Massachusetts.  I  have  often 
seen  this  species,  as  late  as  the  last  week  in  May,  busily 
engaged  in  destroying  insects  (of  which  its  food,  as  also  that 
of  the  other  Warblers,  consists),  apparently  without  being 
mated,  as  several  individuals  of  both  sexes  were  together, 
seemingly  in  harmony,  but  without  those  little  fondlings 
and  attentions  peculiar  to  mated  birds.  The  nest  is  seldom 
built  before  the  10th  of  June  in  this  latitude.  It  ig  con- 
structed of  fine  grasses,  fibrous  roots,  fine  strips  of  bark  from 
the  cedar,  and  the  leaves  of  the  pine :  these  are  entwined 
together  strongly  and  neatly,  and  the  interior  of  the  nest  is 
lined  with  horsehair  and  fine  moss.  JNuttall,  in  describing 
the  only  nest  of  this  bird  that  he  ever  saw,  says, — 

"  On  the  8th  of  June,  I  was  so  fortunate  as  to  find  a  nest  of  this 
species  in  a  perfectly  solitary  situation,  on  the  Blue  Hills  of  Milton, 
Mass.  The  ffemale  was  now  sitting,  and  about  to  hatch.  The  nest 
was  m  a  low,  thick,  and  stunted  Virginia  juniper.  When  I  ap- 
proached near  the  nest,  the  female  stood  motionless  on  its  edge,  and 
peeped  down  in  such  a  manner  that  I  imagined  her  to  be  a  young 
bird:  she  then  darted  directly  to  the  earth,  and  ran;  but  when, 
deceived,  I  sought  her  on  the  ground,  she  had  very  expertly  disap- 
peared, and  I  now  found  the  nest  to  contain  four  roundish  eggs, 
white,  inclining  to  flesh-color,  variegated,  nore  particularly  at  the 
great  end,  with  pale,  purplish  points  of  various  sizes,  interspersed 
with  other  large  spots  of  brown  and  blackish.  The  nest  was  formed 
of  circularly  entwined  fine  strips  of  the  inner  bark  of  the  juniper, 
and  the  tough,  fibrous  bark  of  some  other  plant,  then  bedded  with 
soft  feathers  of  the  Robin,  and  lined  with  a  few  horsehairs,  and 
some  slender  tops  of  bent  grass  (Agrostis)." 

Early  in  June,  18d3,  a  nest  of  this  species  was  discovered 
in  a  grove  of  pines  in  West  Roxbury :  it  was  built  in  a 
small  fork  of  a  pine,  about  ten  feet  from  the  ground.  The 
nest  and  its  contents,  four  eggs,  were  removed;  but  the 
birds  remained  in  the  neighborhood,  and  soon  commenced 


I* 


!1 


( 


!l 


224 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND   OOLOGY. 


I; 


building  another  nest  in  the  same  tree,  but  a  few  feet  higher. 
In  it  the  female  laid  three  eggs,  after  which  this  nest  and 
eggs  were  removed  ;  but  soon  after  they  built  another  nest 
in  anotlier  pine,  near  the  first :  this  nest  was  perhaps  twenty- 
five  feet  from  the  ground ;  in  this,  two  eggs  were  laid,  which 
were  allowed  to  be  hatched.    One  of  these  nests,  with  four 
eggs,  is  in  my  collection,  and  is  already  described  above. 
The  eggs  are  a  pale,  creamy-white  color,  with  a  very  faint 
roseate  tint,  and  one  marked  with  coarse  and  fine  spots  of 
brown  of  different  shades,  and  obscure  spots  of  lilac.    These 
markings  are  quite  thick  at  the  large  end  of  the  egg,— in 
fact,  are  almost  confluent  into  a  sort  of  girdle.     Their 
dimensions  are  .66  by  .53  inch,  .66  by  .62  inch,  .64  by  .52 
inch,  and  .62  by  .51  inch.     A  large  number  of  nests,  with 
eggs  collected  in  Massachusetts,  have,  within  a  few  years, 
passed  through  my  hands :  they  were  all  of  the  above  de- 
scription. 

This  bird  prefers  the  foliage  of  high  trees  to  the  lower 
shrubbery,  and  I  have  noticed  that  it  is  most  usually  found 
in  or  near  the  different  pines.  Its  song  is  heard  through 
the  mating  and  breeding  seasons,  as  the  bird  is  actively 
moving  about  the  trees  searching  for  its  food. 

This  song  is  something  like  the  syllables,  torte-te-it-ta-tee, 
uttered  in  a  plaintive  tone  ;  the  first  syllable  low,  the  second 
higher,  the  third  and  fourth  quickly  together  and  high,  and 
the  fifth  and  sixth  a  little  slower  and  lower.  Its  song  is 
peculiar,  and  cannot  be  confounded  with  that  of  any  other 
Warbler  in  New  England. 

DKNDBOICA  CANADEHSIS.— Soirrf. 
The  Blaok-throated  Blue  Warbler. 

Mot^cma  Canaderm.,  Linn»«a.    8y.t.  Nat.,  L  (1766)  88«-    Qj- 1"  {"JJ' ^..g 

Sylvia  Canad^mi,,  Wihon.    Am.  Om,  IL  (1810)  116.    Nutt.  Man.,  I.  (1882)  898. 
Aud."Orn.«'og.,lL  (1884)  809. 

Bylvia  puiiUa,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  V.  (1812)  100. 

Description. 

Above  unifom  continuous  grayisU-bluc,  including  the  outer  edges  of  the  quiU 
«x4  tail  featherBi  a  narrow  fronUl  Une,  the  entire  «d»s  of  head  and  neck,  chiu  and 


.jiMMiiiiMiWfiiiir 


THE   BLACK-THKOATED   BLUB   WARBLER. 


226 


1 


throat,  lustrous  black,  this  color  extending  in  a  broad  lateral  stripe  to  the  tail ;  rest 
of  under  parts,  including  the  axillary  region,  white;  wingn  and  tail  black  above,  the 
former  with  a  conspicuous  white  patch  formed  by  the  bascH  •<(  all  the  prinmriei 
(except  the  first);  the  inner  webs  of  the  secondaries  and  tertials  with  similar  palchei 
towards  the  base  and  along  the  inner  margin;  all  the  tail  feathers,  except  the  inner- 
most, with  a  white  patch  on  the  inner  web,  near  the  end. 

Female,  olive-green  above  and  dull-yellow  beneath ;  sides  of  head  dusky-olive, 
the  eyelids  and  a  superciliary  stripe  whitish;  traces  of  the  white  spot  at  the  base  of 
the  primaries  and  of  the  tail. 

Length,  five  nnd  fifty  one-hundrcdths  inches;  wing,  twio  and  sixty  one-hun- 
dredths;  toil,  two  and  twenty-five  one-hundrcdths  inches. 

This  Warbler  is  not  uncommon  in  the  mountainous  dis- 
tricts of  Massachusetts,  from  tho  middle  to  the  end  of  May  ; 
and  I  found  several  specimens  in  the  Green-Mountain  coun- 
try as  late  as  the  10th  of  Juno.  This  occurrence,  together 
with  the  fact  that  it  has  been  found,  in  the  breeding  season, 
on  Mount  Holyoko,  in  Mass.,  and  along  the  ridges  in  the 
western  part  of  this  State,  shows  that  it  probably  breeds, 
sometimes  at  least,  in  Massachusetts. 

The  individuals  that  I  saw  were  in  tall  oaks  and  chest- 
nuts, actively  moving  about  through  the  foliage,  snapping  at 
flies  and  other  insects :  they  often  uttered  a  faint,  drawling 
loSest/,  wSesy,  and  occasionally  a  louder  chirp  or  chink,  like 
that  of  the  Nashville  Warbler. 

Being  unacquainted  with  the  nest  and  eggs,  I  give  Audu- 
bon's description  of  them :  — 

"  The  nest  is  usually  placed  on  the  horizontal  branch  of  a  fir-tree, 
at  a  height  of  seven  or  eight  feet  from  the  ground.  It  is  composed 
of  slips  of  bark,  mosses,  and  fibrous  roots,  and  is  lined  with  fine 
grass,  on  which  is  laid  a  warm  bed  of  feathers. 

"  The  eggs,  four  or  five  in  number,  are  of  a  rosy  tint,  and,  like 
those  of  most  other  Sylvia,  scantily  bprinkled  with  reddish-brown 
at  the  larger  end.     Only  one  brood  is  raised  in  a  season." 

About  the  first  week  in  September,  tliis  species  leaves 
New  England  on  its  southern  migration. 


>? 


16 


II 


ii 


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II 


226  onNiTOOLOOY  and  ooloot. 


BEHDBOICA  COROSATA.— Grip. 
The  TeUow-mmpad  Warbler. 
Mctacilh  coromtn,  Ltan-us.    8yit  N.t,  I.  (1766)  888.    Qm.  Syit  N.t., I.  (1788) 

*'s,Wa  -"■^'^"^  W"""-     '^™-  O"-  "  ^"">  ''*•     """"•  *"'"'  ^-  ^'^'"^  *" 
Aud.  Orn.  Biog.,  II.  (1884)  303. 

Dbscriftiox. 

Above  blui.h-a.h,  streaked  with  black ;  un.l-r  parU  ^hite !  the  fore  pwt  of  »"«••' 
Mid  .he  »ide»  black,  the  feathers  mostly  edged  with  white;  crown,  rump,  BOd  «id«» 
of  breast  yellow;  cheeks  and  lores  black;  the  eyelids  ul  a  superciliary  rtripe,  two 
bands  on  the  wing,  «nd  spoU  on  the  outer  three  tail  .  athers,  wh.te.  Female,  of 
duller  plumage,  and  browner  above.  ^        .    .        ..n  ♦_„ 

Length,  fi^  ■  and  sixty-flve  one-hundredth*  inches;  wing,  three  inches;  tail,  two 
and  fifty  one-hundretlis  inches. 

The  Yellow-rumped  or  Golden-crowned  Warbler  ia  very 
abundant  in  all  parts  of  Now  England  as  a  spring  and  faU 
visitor.  It  arrives  from  the  South  about  the  20th  of  April, 
and  passes  quickly  northward.     But  few  breed  south  of 

the  northern  parts  of  Maine, 
and  probably  not  a  great  many 
pasb  the  season  of  incubation 
there.  When  with  us  in  the 
spring,  they  are  found  in  the 
pastures,  woods,  orchards,  and 
swamps,  equally  distributed, 
and  evincing  no  partiality  for 
any  particular  locality.  They 
are  then  very  active,  and  are  constantly  engaged  in  their 
search  for  insects. 

Their  note  is  nothing  but  a  kind  of  tcUp  and  a  tinkling 
twSeter,  which  they  utt  r  occasionally,  both  while  on  the 
wing  and  while  perching. 

I  have  heard  of  no  nest  being  found  in  either  of  the 
southern  New-England  States,— have  met  with  but  one  in 
Massachusetts,  and  have  heard  of  but  two  or  three  others. 


■Hi 


^^'^^^^^^ 


JfrMmyy^'*'"™'''^^^ 


THE   BLACKIJUKNIAN   WAHBLER. 


217 


This  nest  wan  ImiU,  in  a  low  barboiTy-biLsh  in  Waltlmra :  it 
was  constructcii  of  fine  grasses  and  tho  «lowu  from  forns. 
Thcso  material^  woro  cnrofiilly  woven  togother  into  a  nout 
fabric,  which  wa-*  lined  with  cottony  aulistuucea  and  a  few 
horsehairs.  Tho  e^fy;s  woro  three  in  number:  thcrto  were 
of  a  creamy-white  color,  covered  sparHcly  with  ^(Wts  and 
blotches  of  different  shades  of  reddisli-brown,  tiiickcst  at 
the  largo  end  of  tl\o  egg.  Dimensions  of  ''o  eggs:  .RS  by 
.50  inch,  .07  by  .50  inch,  .06  by  .49  inch.  AMdubou 
describes  a  nest  and  eggs  sen^  him  from  Nova  icotia  as 
follows :  — 

"  It  resembles  that  of  the  Sylvia  astiva  of  Latham,  beiug  firm, 
compact,  the  outer  parts  formed  of  silky  fibres  fiu,.  diflferent  plants, 
attached  to  the  twigs  near  it  by  means  of  glutinous  matter,  mixed 
with  the  inner  bark  of  some  tree  unknown  to  mc.  Within  thi^"  h 
a  deep  and  warm  bed  of  thistle-down,  and  the  inner  layer  consists 
ot  feathers  and  the  fine  hair  of  small  quadrupeds. 

"  The  eggs  are  rathei  lurgt-,  of  a  light  rosy  tint,  the  shell  thin 
and  transparent :  they  are  sparingly  dotted  with  reddish-brown  near 
the  larger  end,  but  in  a  circular  manner,  so  that  the  extremity  is 
unspotted." 

From  the  last  of  September  until  the  middle  of  October, 
they  become  very  plentiful  again,  and  may  bo  seen  in  large 
detached  flocks  in  all  the  ficlda,  orchards,  and  woods  of  the 
country:  they  are  very  abundant  in  stubble-fields;  and  1 
have  seen  as  many  as  fifty  in  a  flock  start  at  the  report  of 
my  gun,  when  I  have  been  quail-sliooting. 

DEHDBOICA  BLACKBUENLil — Baird. 

The  Blaokburnian  Warbler. 

ifoia«7fa  JSinci(A«mt«,  Gmelin.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1788)  977.  ,„„„„,,-. 

SyMa  BhckbumuM,  Wilson.    Am.  Orn.,  III.  (1811)  67.   Nutt.  Man.,  I.  (1832)  87». 
Aud.  Orn.  Biog.,  11.  (1884)  208;  V.  73. 

Sylviaparus,  Wilson.    Am.  Orn.,  V.  (1812)  114. 
Hemhck  Warbler,  Anthora. 


m  liiriiriTi-i  iTfr' 


OBNITUOLOQY   AND  OOLOOT. 


DK8CBIiTI0». 

Cpper  parts  nearly  uniform  blmk,  with  a  wliitinh  urapular  utripu  and  a  lar^e 
white  patch  in  the  inlilJIe  of  the  wiiig  eoverto;  an  oblon^;  patch  in  the  middio  of 
the  crown,  and  the  entire  »ido  of  the  head  and  npcic  (inchidinj;  •  Htiperciliary  strlpo 
fl'oin  the  nuHtriU),  the  chin,  throat,  and  forepart  of  the  breast,  bright  oranRe-rpdi 
a  black  itripo  from  the  comminHure  panaing  over  the  lower  half  of  the  eve,  and 
Including  the  car  covert*,  with,  however,  iin  ornnK«  crescent  in  it,  ju»L  below 
the  eye,  the  extreme  lid  being  blacl<i  rest  of  under  parts  wliiip,  itronigly  tinged 
with  yellowish-orange  on  tlie  breaet  and  belly,  and  streaked  with  hlu'-k  on  the  sides; 
outer  thrte  tail  feathers  white,  the  shafts  and  tiiw  dark-brown,  the  fourth  and  flilh 
spotted  much  with  white,  the  other  tai!  feathers  and  quills  almost  black.  Female 
•Imilar;  the  colors  duller;  the  feathers  of  the  upper  parts  with  olivaceous  edges. 

Length,  five  and  fifty  one-hundrcdths  inches;  wing,  two  and  eighty-thred  one- 
hundredtha  inchea;  tail,  two  and  twenty-flve  one-hundredth»  Inches. 

This,  the  most  beautiful  of  all  our  Warblers,  is  a  rare 
summer  inhabitant  of  all  New  England.  Dr.  Brewer  found 
it  breeding  in  the  eastern  part  of  Massachusetts.  Vcrrill 
says  it  breeds  in  Maine ;  Dr.  Thompson  says  it  breeds  in 
Vermont;  and  I  have  seen  it  in  Now  Hampshire  in  the 
season  of  incubation.  It  is  a  shy  and  mistrustful  species, 
and  is  found  only  in  the  deepest  woods,  where  it  keeps  in 
the  thickest  foliage  of  tall  trees.  Its  nest  and  eggs  I  have 
not  seen,  and  I  am  obliged  to  give  the  description  by 
Audubon:  "It  [the  nest]  is  composed  externally  of  dif- 
ferent textures,  and  lined  with  silky  fibres  and  thin  delicate 
strips  of  fine  bark,  over  which  lay  a  tliick  bed  of  feathers 
and  horsehair.  The  eggs  are  small,  very  conical  towards 
the  smaller  end,  pure- white,  with  a  few  spots  of  light-i-ed 
towards  the  larger  end.  It  was  found  in  a  small  fork  of  a 
tree,  five  or  six  feet  from  the  ground,  near  a  brook." 

DETOBOICA  CASTANEA.  — ^atVd 
The  Bay-breasted  Warbler. 

Sykia  cattanea,  Wilson.  Am.  Orn.,  II.  (1810)  97.  Nntt.  Man.,  I.  (1882)  382. 
Aud.  Orn.  Biog.,  I.  868. 

Descripmoh. 

Male.  —  Crown  dark  reddish-chestnut;  forehead  and  cheeks,  including  a  space 
above  the  eye,  black;  a  patch  of  buff-yellow  behind  tlie  cheeks;  rest  of  upper  parts 
bluish-gray,  streaked  with  black;  the  edges  of  the  interscapulars  tinged  wi'h 
yellowish,  of  the  scapulars  with  olivaceous ;  primaries  and  tail  feathers  edged  ex.- 


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THE   PINE-CREEPING   WARBLER. 


229 


ternally  with  bluish-gray,  the  extreme  outer  ones  with  white;  the  secondaries  edged 
with  olivaceous;  two  bands  on  the  wing  and  the  edges  of  the  tertials  white ;  the 
under  parts  are  whitish  with  a  tinge  of  buflT;  the  chin,  throat,  forepart  of  breast,  and 
the  sides,  chestnut-brown,  lighter  than  the  crown;  two  outer  tail  feathers  with  a 
patch  of  white  on  the  inner  web  near  the  end;  the  others  edged  internally  with 

the  same. 

Female  with  the  upper  parts  olive,  streaked  throughout  with  black,  and  an  oc- 
casional tinge  of  chestnut  on  the  orawn;  lower  parts  with  traces  of  chestnut,  but 

no  stripes. 

Length  of  male,  five  inches;  wirg,  three  and  five  one-hundijidths  inches;  tail, 

(wo  and  forty  one-hundredths  inchen. 

The  Bay-breasted  Warbler  is,  in  most  localities  of  New 
England,  not  common,  in  some  quite  rare.     In  the  eastern 
localities   of  Massachusetts  it  is  very  seldom  met  with. 
Allen  mentions  instances  when  specimens  could  be  obtained 
by  the  "  bushel-basket  full ; "  but  I  think  that  generally  it  is 
rarely  seen.     Mr.  Tripp,  in  the  Am.  Naturalist,  says  of  this 
species :  "  It  is  not  quite  so  active  as  the  other  warblers,  and 
keeps  more  on  the  lower  boughs,  seldom  ascending  to  the 
tops  of  the  trees.     The  young  are  totally  diiferent  in  their 
colors  from  the  adults,  and  so  closely  resemble  the  young 
of  the  Black-polled  Warbler  that  it  is  often  very  difficult  to 
distinguish  them  apart."    It  is  seen  in  New  England  only 
in  the  migrations. 


DENDBOICA  tViVa.  —  Baird. 
The  Pine-oreeping  Warbler. 

Sylvia  pinui,  Wilson.  Am.  Om.,  lU.  (llll)  25.  Nutt  Man.,  I.  (1882)  387. 
Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  II.  (1834)  282. 

Description. 

Upper  parts  nearly  uniform  and  clear  olive-green,  the  feathers  of  the  crown  with 
rather  darker  shafts;  under  parts  generally,  except  the  middle  of  the  belly  behind, 
and  under  tail  coverts  (which  are  white),  bright  gamboge-yellow,  with  obsolete 
streaks  of  dusky  on  the  sides  of  the  breast  and  body;  sides  of  head  and  neck  olive- 
green  like  the  back,  with  a  broad  superciliary  stripe;  the  eyelids  and  a  spot  beneath 
the  eye  very  obscurely  yellow;  wings  and  tail  brown;  the  feathers  edged  with  dirty 
white,  and  two  bands  of  the  same  across  the  coverts;  inner  web  of  the  first  tail 
feather  with  nearly  the  terminal  half,  of  the  second  with  nearly  the  terminal  third, 
dull  inconspicuous  white. 

Length,  five  and  fifty  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  three  inches;  tail,  two  and 
forty  one-hundredths  inches. 


,i«^^>3a^yiaitaftfai»aia-„ 


280 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


'This  species  arrives  from  the  South  very  early,  often 
before  the  last  snow-storm  .of  the  season,  and  remains  in 
the  deep  swamps  of  hemlocks  or  pines  until  the  weather 
opens.     About  the  first  week  in  June,  the  birds  become 
scarce,  and  soon  but  very  few  can  be  found.     A  nest  with 
two  eggs,  found  in  Woburn,  Mass. ;  and  another  nest  with 
three  eggs,  from  West  Roxbury,in  the  same  State,  — are  all 
the  specimens  accessible  to  me  at  the  present  time.     These 
nests  were  built  in  forks  of  pine-trees,  about  twenty  feet 
from  the  grouJid.     They  are  constructed  of  the  bark  of  the 
cedar  and  leaves  of  the  pine :  these  materials  are  intwined 
into  a  neat  structure,  which  is  warmly  lined  with  mosses, 
and  hairs  of  different  animals.    The  eggs  are  of  a  bluish- 
white,  with  a  slight  roseate  tint:  this  primary  color  is  dotted 
with  spots  of  two  shades  of  brown  and  reddish,  and  some 
spots  of  purple.    Dimensions  vary  from  .69  by  .50  inch  to 

.67  by  .51  inch. 

In  the  migrations,  these  birds  associate  in  detached  flocks : 
in  the  spring  they  are  in  company  with  the  Red-poll 
Warblers ;  and,  in  the  fall,  with  the  Yellow-rumps. 

They  are,  in  the  summer,  almost  always  observed  in  the 
pine-groves,  actively  traversing  the  limbs  and  branches, 
sometimes  with  the  movements  of  the  Creepers  and  Titmice, 
sometimes  with  those  of  the  Warblers,  and  often  flying 
from  the  foliage  and  seizing  an  insect  on  the  wing,  like  the 
Flycatchers. 

Their  song  is  now  somewhat  similar  to  that  of  the  Field 
Sparrow,  or  perhaps  more  like  a  mixture  of  that  and  the 
eong  of  the  Indigo-bird,  if  such  can  be  imagined.  It  con- 
sists of  the  syllables  tweet  'weet  'weet  'weet  'weet  'weet,  uttered 
at  first  slow  and  faint,  but  rapidly  increasing  in  utterance 
and  volume.  Besides  this,  it  has  a  sort  of  trilling  note, 
like  fre  Ve  Ve  're  're  're,  uttered  softly  and  listlessly. 

In  the  autumn,  they  add  to  their  usual  insect-food  small 
berries  and  seeds :  they  are  now  nearly  silent,  having  only 
a  quick,  sharp  chirp.    They  are  scattered  through  the  fields 


Yi  ofteu 
lains  in 
weather 

become 
est  with 
est  with 
—  are  all 
These 
jnty  feet 
■k  of  the 
intwined 

mosses, 
a  bluish- 
is  dotted 
lud  some 

0  inch  to 

jd  flocks : 
Red-poll 
ips. 

ed  in  the 
branches, 

1  Titmice, 
;en  flying 
J,  like  the 

the  Field 
,t  and  the 
,  It  con- 
et,  uttered 

utterance 
[ling  note, 
tlessly. 
food  small 
aving  only 
\  the  fields 


THE   CHESTNUT-SIDED   WARBLER. 


281 


and  woods,  and  seem  to  be  as  much  on  the  ground  as  in 
the  trees.  They  depart  for  the  South  by  the  10th  or 
16th  of  October. 

DENDBOICA  FEHRSTLVANIOA.  —  fain:. 
y^  The  Chestnut-Bided  Warbler.  ^ 

Motacilh.  Pentuyhanica,  Linnieus.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1766)  883. 
Sylvia  Pemuyhanica,  Wilson.    Am.  Oni.,  I.  (1808)  99. 

Sylvia  iclerocephala,  Audubon.  Orn.  Biog.,  I.  (1832)  806.  Nutt.  Man.,  I. 
(1832)  380. 

Descbiption. 

Male.  —  Upper  parts  streaked  with  black  and  pale  bluish-gray,  which  becomes 
nearly  white  on  the  forepart  of  the  back;  the  middle  of  the  back  glossed  with 
greenish-yellow;  the  crown  is  continuous  yellow,  bordered  by  a  frontal  and  super- 
ciliary band,  and  behind  by  a  square  spot  of  white;  loral  region  black,  sending  off 
a  line  over  the  eye,  and  another  below  it,  ear  coverts  and  lower  eyelid  and  entire 
under  parts  pure-white,  a  purplish-chestnut  stripe  starting  on  each  side  in  a  line 
with  the  black  moustache,  and  extending  back  to  the  thighs;  wing  and  tail  feathers 
dark-brown,  edged  with  bluish-gray,  except  the  secondaries  and  tertials,  which  are 
bordered  with  light  yellowish-green;  t^'-  t'loulders  with  two  greenish-white  bands; 
three  outer  tail  feathers  with  white  patcr-j  near  the  end  of  the  inner  webs.- 

Female  like  the  male,  except  that  the  upper  parts  are  yellowish-green,  streaked 
with  black ;  the  black  moustache  scarcely  appreciable. 

Length,  five  inches;  wing,  two  and  fifty  one-hundredths  inches;  tail,  two  and 
twenty  one-hundredths  inches. 

This  bird  is  a  rather  common  summer  inhabitant  of  all 
New  England,  being  most  plentiful  in  Massachusetts  and 
the  States  south,  and  gradually  growing  more  rare  as  we 
advance  north.  It  makes  its  appearance  from  the  South 
about  the  first  to  the  middle  of  May,  according  to  latitude, 
and  commences  to  build  about  the  last  week  in  this  month 

* 

or  the  first  in  June.  The  nest  is  usually  built  in  a  small 
fork  of  a  low  tree,  often  in  bushes,  but  a  few  feet  from  the 
ground.  It  is  constructed  of  thin  strips  of  pliable  bark  and 
fine  grasses :  these  materials  are  bent  and  intwined  together, 
and  over  the  outside  are  pieces  of  caterpillar  silk  and  cob- 
webs, which  are  plastered  on,  seemingly  to  give  the  fe,bric 
compactness  and  consistency.  The  nest  is  deeply  hollowed, 
and  lined  with  horsehairs  and  slender  strips  of  the  bark  of 


*    ■   tt 


232 


OUNITHOLOOY    AND   OOLOQX". 


^ 


the  grape-vine.    Nuttall  describes  a  nest  found  in  Acton, 
Mass.,  as  follows :  — 

"  It  is  fixed  in  the  forked  twigs  of  a  hazel,  about  breatt-high. 
The  fabric  is  rather  light  and  airy,  being  made  externally  of  a  few 
coarse  blades  and  stalks  of  dead  grass,  then  fiUed  in  with  fine 
blades  of  the  same ;  the  whole  matted  and  tied  with  caterpillars' 
silk,  and  lined  with  very  slender  strips  of  brown  bark  and  similar 
white-pine  leaves." 

The  nests  which  I  have  collected,  and  some  I  have  before 
me,  are  of  a  different  character  from  his  description,  being 
compactly  and  neatly  made  of  bark  from  the  cedar,  and 
grasses,  and  lined  with  horsehair ;  but  I  have  no  doubt  that 
this  species,  like  many  others,  varies  in  breeding  habits  in 
different  localities.  The.  eggs  are  three  or  four  in  number, 
and  are  laid  about  the  first  week  in  June.  They  are  of  a 
delicate  creamy-white  color,  and  marked  at  the  great  end 
with  spots  of  brown,  which  are  often  confluent :  the  spots 
are  of  two  colors,  .a  reddish-brown  and  purplish-brown. 
The  dimensions  vary  from  .70  by  .51  inch  to  .63  by  .50  inch. 
But  one  brood  is  raised  in  the  season  in  this  latitude. 

This  is  another  of  those  birds  which  seem  to  have  become 
quite  abundant  within  a  few  years.  Wilson,  Nuttall,  and 
others  speak  of  it  as  being  a  very  rare  species ;  and  it  is  now 
one  of  the  most  common  of  birds  in  localities  where  it  was, 
a  few  years  since,  quite  rare.  It  prefers  a  growth  of  low 
shrubs  and  scrub-oaks  and  birches  to  a  forest  of  tail  trees, 
and  is  seldom  seen  in  the  \atter. 

Its  note  consists  of  the  syllables  *che  'che  'ch  'ch^ea, 
repeated  at  short  intervals :  it  has  also,  at  times,  a  rattling 
cry  something  like  the  alarm-note  of  the  Maryland  Yellow- 
throat. 

The  female  has  nothing  but  a  sharp  chirp,  which  she 
often  emits  in  answer  to  the  song  of  the  male.  When 
approached  while  on  the  nest,  she  sits  quietly  until  the 
intruder  is  quite  near.    I  once  had  a  dog  make  a  point 


Plate  II. 


Fig    1. 

2 

3. 

4. 

5. 

0. 

7. 

8. 

9. 
10. 
11. 
12. 


Great-crested  Flycatcher,  Myiarchus  crinitua.    Cabanls. 
Blue  Yellow-backed  Warbler,  Parula  Amrricana.     Bonapart*. 
Water  Thrush,  Seiurus  Noveboractnsis.    Nuttall. 
Black-throated  Green  Warbler,  Dendroira  virens.    Balrd. 
White-bellied  Nuthatch.  Silta  Carohnensis.    Gmelln. 
Red-bellied  Nut(iatch,  Silta  Canariensh.    Udd^us. 
White-throated  Sparrow,  Zonotrichia  albicollis.    Bouaparte. 
Snow-bird,  Jiinco  hyrmalis.    Sclater. 
Tree  Sparrow,  SpizeUa  monticola.     Baird. 
Rose-breasted  Grosbeak,  Guirara  ludoviemna.     Swainson. 
Orchard  Oriole.  Irtprus  spurius.     Bonaparte. 
Rusty  Bhtckbird,  Scoltcophagusfrrrusineus.    Swainson. 


Jf^ 


"^mmmammmum 


',  -r^:;;;*^^ 


c 


n 


THE  BLACK-POLL  WABBLEU. 


288 


at  ono  whilo  she  was  sitting  on  her  nest,  and  she  ahuost 
permitted  me  to  touch  her  before  slio  flew  off. 

By  tijo  first  week  in  September,  the  old  birds  and  young, 
apparently  in  a  group  by  themselves,  leave  for  the  South, 
and  winter  in  Panama  and  the  Bahamas. 

DENDROIOA  STBIATA Baird. 

The  Blauk-poU  Warbler. 

Philos.  Trans.,  LXII.  (1772)  888,  428 


Qm.  Syit. 
Nutt.  Man.,  I.  (1832)  388. 


Mtueicapa  $triala,  Forster. 
Nat.,  I.  (1788)  930. 

Sj/lvia  ilnnta,  Wilson.    Am.  Ora.,  IV.  (1811)  40. 
Aud.  Orn.  Uiog.,  II.  (1834)  201. 

Sylvia  aulumnalU,  Wilson.  Am.  Om.,  III.  (1811)  65.  Aud.  Om.  Diog.,  I.  (1882) 
447.    Nutt.  Man.,  I.  (1832),.380.    (Female  or  young  in  autumn.) 

Dkscription. 

ifak.  —  Crown,  nape,  and  upper  hair  of  the  head  black ;  the  loner  half,  including 
the  ear  coverts,  white,  the  separating  line  passing  through  the  middle  of  the  eye; 
rest  of  upper  parts  grayish-ash,  tinged  with  brown,  and  conspicuously  streaked  with 
black ;  wing  and  tail  feathers  brown,  edged  externally  (except  the  inner  tail  feathers) 
with  dull  olive-green;  two  conspicuous  bars  of  white  on  the  wing  coverts,  the  ter- 
tialg  edged  with  the  same ;  under  parts  white,  with  a  narrow  line  on  each  side  the 
throat  from  the  chin  to  the  sides  of  the  neck,  where  it  runs  into  a  close  patch  of 
black  streaks  continued  along  the  breast  and  sides  to  the  root  of  the  tail ;  outer  two 
tail  feathers  with  an  oblique  patch  on  the  inner  web  near  the  end,  the  others  edged 
internally  With  white. 

Female  similar,  except  that  the  upper  parts  are  olivaceous,  and,  even  on  the 
crown,  streaked  with  black;  the  white  on  the  sides  nnd  across  the  breast  tinged 
with  yellowish ;  a  ring  of  the  same  round  the  eye,  cut  by  a  dusky  line  through  it. 

Length  of  male,  five  and  seventy-five  one-hundredths  inches ;  wing,  three  inches ; 
tail,  two  and  twenty-five  one-hundredths  inches. 

This  bird,  although  very  abundant  in  all  parts  of  New 
England  in  the  spring  migrations,  passes  far  to  the  north 
to  breed ;  but  few  remain  in  the  States  through  the  breed- 
ing season,  and  these  in  the  most  northern  districts.  It 
arrives  from  the  South  about  the  last  week  in  May,  and  pro- 
ceeds leisurely  on  its  journey,  arriving  at  its  destination 
about  the  second  week  in  June.  I  have  two  nosts  in  my 
collection,  both  found  in .  the  northern  part  of  Maine : 
they  were  placed  in  low  trees  or  saplings,  and  are  con- 
structed of  first  a  layer  of  twigs  and   grass,  then  the 


I 


234 


OIINITHOLOOY    AND  OOLOGY. 


loaves  of  the  pino,  and  moss ;  those  matoruils  arc  twinod 
into  a  compact  atructuro,  somewhat  bulky,  and  deeply 
hollowed,  and  lined  with  feathers  of  wild  birds  and  hairs 
of  ditforont  animals.  A  nest  complement  of  four  eggs  in  my 
collection,  furnished  by  my  friend,  George  A.  Uoardmau, 
are  of  a  grayish-white  color,  thickly  marked  with  spots  and 
blotches  of  two  or  three  shades  of  brown  and  purplo. 
Dimensions  vary  from  .71  by  .54  inch,  to  .GO  by  .50  inch. 
Audubon  describes  the  only  nest  of  this  bird  that  ho 
ever  met  with  as  follows:  — 

"  It  was  placed  about  three  feet  from  the  ground,  in  the  fork  of 
a  small  branch,  close  to  the  main  stem  of  a  fir-tree.  lU  diameter 
internally  was  two  inches,  the  depth  one  and  a  half:  externally,  it 
resembled  the  nest  of  a  white-crowned  sparrow,  being  formed  of 
green  and  white  moss  and  lichens,  intermixed  with  coarse  dried 
grass;  within  this  was  a  layer  of  bent  grass,  and  the  lining  was  of 
very  dark-colore<l,  dry  moss,  looking  precisely  like  horsehair, 
arranged  in  a  circular  direction  with  great  care.  Lastly,  there  was 
a  thick  bed  of  large,  soft  feathers,  some  of  which  were  from  ducks, 
but  most  of  them  from  willow-grouse." 

The  same  author  describes  the  habits  of  this  bird  as 
follows :  — 

"  You  see  it  darting  in  all  directions  after  insects,  chasing  them 
on  the  wing,  and  not  unfrequently  snapping,  so  as  to  emit  the  click- 
ing sound  characteristic  of  the  true  Flycatcher.  Its  activity  is 
pleasing ;  but  its  notes  have  no  title  to  be  called  a  song.  They  are 
shrill,  and  resemble  the  noise  made  by  striking  two  small  pebbles 
together,  more  than  any  other  sound  I  know." 

I  cannot  agree  with  Professor  Baird,  that  the  Autumnal 
Warbler  of  authors,  and  the  young  of  the  Bay-breasted, 
are  identical,  at  least  in  New  England  ;  but  I  am  persuaded 
that  the  young  of  the  present  species  is  the  Sylvia  autumnalis. 
.  And  it  seems  to  me,  that  no  other  argument  is  needed  to 
establish  this  beyond  a  doubt,  than  the  fact,  that  the  Bay- 
breasted  Warbler  is  very  rare,  in  all  this  section  of  the  coun- 


THE  BLACK-POLL   WARBLER. 


286 


try,  in  npring  and  aummor ;  and  that  it  Hhould  bocoinc 
excoodingly  abundant  in  antunin  ia  incoiiHlHtunt  witli  roaHon 
and  nature.  The  doscription  of  the  young  of  the  lilack-poil 
also  ngrcos  witli  that  of  tlio  Autumnal  Warbler,  as  do  also 
its  habits  and  charactoristics. 

I  will  append  Wilson's  description  of  the  habits  of  the 
Black-poll  and  Autumnal  Warbler,  and  also  their  general 
description.     IIo  says  of  the  Autumnal  Warbler, — 

"  This  plain  littlo  species  regularly  visits  Pennsylvania  from  the 
North,  in  the  month  of  October,  gleaning  among  the  willow-leaves, 
but,  what  is  singular,  is  rarely  seen  iu  spring.  From  the  Ist  to  the 
Iflth  of  October,  thoy  may  be  seen  in  considerable  numbers,  almost 
every  day,  in  gardens,  particularly  among  the  branches  of  the 
weeping-willow,  and  seem  exceedingly  industrious.  Thoy  have 
some  resemblance,  in  color,  to  the  Pine-creeping  Warbler,  but  do 
not  run  along  the  trunk  like  that  bird,  neither  do  they  give 
preference  to  the  pines.  They  are  also  less.  After  the  1st  of 
November,  they  are  no  longer  to  be  found,  unless  the  season  be 
uncommonly  mild.  These  birds  doubtless  pass  through  Pennsyl- 
vania, in  spring,  on  their  way  to  the  North ;  but  either  make  a  very 
hasty  journey,  or  frequent  the  tops  of  the  tallest  trees :  for  I  have 
never  yet  met  with  one  of  them  in  that  season,  though  in  October 
I  have  seen  more  than  a  hundred  in  an  afternoon's  excursion. 

"  Length,  four  inches  and  three-quarters ;  breadth,  eight  inches ; 
whole  upper  parts  olive-green,  streaked  on  the  back  with  dusky 
stripes ;  tail  coverts  ash,  tipped  with  olive ;  tail  black,  edged  with 
dull-white ;  the  three  exterior  feathers  marked  near  the  tip  with 
white ;  wings  doep-dusky,  edged  with  olive,  and  crossed  with  two 
bars  of  white ;  primaries  ulso  tipped,  and  three  secondaries  next 
the  body  edged  with  white ;  upper  mandible  dusky-brown ;  lower,  as 
well  as  the  chin  and  breast,  dull-yellow ;  belly  and  vent  whit« ;  legs 
dusky-brown ;  feet  and  claws  yellow  ;  a  pale-yellow  ring  surrounds 
the  eye.  The  males  of  these  birds  often  warble  out  some  low  bat 
very  sweet  notes,  while  searching  among  the  leaves  in  nutumn." 

He  says  of  the  Black-poll  Warbler,  — 

"  This  species  has  considerable  affinity  to  the  Flycatchers  in  its 
habits.    It  is  chiefly  confined  to  the  woods,  and,  even  there,  to  the 


! 


286 


ORNITHOLOGY    AND   OOLOGY. 


tops  of  the  tallest  trees,  where  it  is  descried  skipping  from  branch 
to  branch  in  pursuit  of  winged  insects.  Its  note  is  a  single  screep, 
scarcely  audible  from  below.  It  arrives  in  Pennsylvania  about  the 
20th  of  April,  and  is  first  seen  on  the  tops  of  the  highest  maples, 
darting  about  among  the  blossoms.  As  the  woods  thicken  with 
leaves,  it  may  be  found  pretty  generally,  being  none  of  the  least 
nu-ierous  of  our  summer  birds.  It  is,  however,  most  partial  to 
woods  in  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  creeks,  swamps,  or  mo- 
rasses, probably  from  the  greater  number  of  its  favorite  insects 
frequenting  such  places.  It  is  also  pretty  generally  diffused  oyer 
the  United  States,  having  myself  met  with  it  in  most  quarters 
of  the  Union,  though  its  nest  has  h"\erto  defied  all  my  researches." 

He  then  says  of  the  female  Black-poll, — 

«'  From  its  habit  oi  keeping  on  the  highest  branches  of  trees,  it 
probably  builds  in  such  situations,  and  its  nest  may  long  remain 
unknown  to  us. 

«  Pennant,  who  describes  this  species,  says  that  it  inhabits,  during 
summer,  Newfoundland  and  New  York,  and  is  called  ::i  the  last 
Sailor.  This  name,  for  which,  however,  no  reason  is  given,  must 
be  very  local ;  as  the  bird  itself  is  one  of  those  silent,  shy,  and  soli- 
tary individuals  that  seek  the  deep  retreat  of  the  forest,  and  are 
known  to  few  or  none  but  the  naturalist. 

"Length  of  the  female  Black-cap  five  inches  and  a  quarter, 
extent  eight  and  a  quarter;  bill  brownish-black;  crown  yellow- 
olive,  streaked  with  black;  back  the  same,  mixed  with  some  pale- 
skte;  wings  dusky-brown,  edged  with  olive;  first  and  second  wing 
coverts  tipped  with  white;  tertials  edged  with  yellowish-white; 
tail  coverts  pale-gray;  tail  dusky,  forked,  the  two  exterior  feathers 
marked  on  their  inner  vanes  with  z  spot  of  white;  round  the  eye 
is  a  whitish  ring ;  cheeks  and  sides  of  the  breast  tinged  with  yellow, 
and  slightly  spotted  with  black;  chin  white,  as  are  also  the  belly 
and  vent;  legs  and  feet  dirty-orange. 

"The  young  bird  of  the  first  season,  and  the  female,  as  is  usually 
the  case,  are  very  much  alike  in  plumage.  On  their  arrival,  early 
in  April,  the  black  feathers  on  the  crown  are  frequently  seen  commg 
out,  intermixed  a    h  the  former  ash-colored  ones. 

"This  species  has  all  the  agiJity  and  many  of  the  habits  of  the 
Flycatcher." 


rom  branch 
ingle  screep, 
ia  about  the 
lest  maples, 
hicken  with 
of  the  least 
it  partial  to 
mps,  or  mo- 
orite  insects 
liffused  oyer 
lOst  quarters 
researches." 


!S  of  trees,  it 
loug  remain 

labits,  during 
i  :ti  the  last 
given,  must 
shy,  and  soli- 
irest,  and  are 

:d  a  quarter, 
rown  yellow- 
h  some  pale- 
[  second  wing 
lowish-white ; 
erior  feathers 
ound  the  eye 
1  with  yellow, 
ilso  the  belly 

I,  as  is  usually 

arrival,  early 

ly  seen  coming 

I  habits  of  the 


THE  YELLOW  WARBLER. 


237 


About  the  middle  of  October,  sometimes  not  before  the 
last  of  that  month,  the  Black-poll  Warbler  leaves  on  its 
southern  migration :  at  that  time,  it  has,  in  New  England 
certainly,  all  the  characteristics  and  habits  of  the  Autumnal 
Warbler  described  above;  and,  having  examined  numbers 
of  specimens,  I  conclude,  from  the  reasons  expressed  above, 
that  the  species  are  identical. 

DEHDSOICA  aiSTIVA Baird. 

X  The  Yellow  Warbler.  - 

Motacilla  (rstiva,  Gmclin.    Syst.  Nat.,  L  (1788)  996. 
Sylvia  citrinella,  Wilson.    Am.  Orn.,  II.  (1810)  111. 
Sylvia  childreni,  Audubon.    Orn.  Biog.,  I.  (1881)  180. 
Motacilla  petechia,  Linneeus.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1766)  334. 

Description. 

Bill  lead-color;  head  all  ronnd,  and  under  parts  generally,  bright-yellow;  rest  of 
upper  parts  yellow-olivaceous,  brightest  on  the  rump;  back  with  obsolete  streaks 
of  dusky  reddish-brown ;  fore  breast  and  sides  of  the  body  streaked  with  brownish- 
red;  tail  feathers  bright-yellow;  the  outer  webs  and  tips,  with  the  whole  upper  sur- 
faces of  the  innermost  one,  brown ;  extreme  outer  edges  of  wipg  and  tail  feathers 
olivaceous,  like  the  back ;  the  middle  and  greater  coverts  and  tertials  edged  with 
yellow,  forming  two  bands  on  the  wings.  Female  similar,  with  the  crown  olivaceous, 
like  the  back,  and  the  streaks  wanting  on  the  back,  and  much  restricted  on  the  under 
parts;  tail  with  more  brown. 

Length  of  male,  Ave  and  twenty -five  one-hundredths  inches ;  wing,  two  and  sixty- 
six  one-hundredths ;  tail,  two  and  twenty-flve  one-hundredths  inches. 

This  exceedingly  abundant  species  is  a  summer  resident, 
and  breeds  in  all  the  New-England  States.  It  arrives  from 
the  South  about  the  last  of  April  or  first  of  May,  and  com- 
mences building  about  the  15th  of  the  latter  mouth.  The 
nest  is  usually  placed  in  a  low  bush,  frequently  the  bar- 
berry. Occasionally,  it  is  built  in  an  alder  or  maple  tree, 
seldom  more  than  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  from  the  ground, 
although  Mr.  Nuttall  gives  instances  of  its  being  built  in  the 
forks  of  a  sugar-maple-tree,  fifty  feet  from  the  ground :  this, 
however,  is  a  very  rare  case.  Nuttall's  description  of  the 
nest  is  the  best  I  have  seen,  and  I  give  it  entire:  — 

"  The  nest  is  extremely  neat  and  durable ;  the  exterior  is  formed 
of  layers  of  asclepias,  or  silk-weed  Imt,  glutinously  though  slightly 


-«*  liiiftiiiijiiiiiiaiiiiiiilii 


P 


pi^^V 


238 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND   OOLOGY. 


attached  to  the  supporting  twigs,  mixed  with  some  slender  strips  of 
fine  bark  and  pine-leaves,  and  thickly  bedded  with  the  down  of  wil- 
lows, the  nankeen  wool  of  the  Virginia  cotton-grass  (Uriophorum 
Virffinicum),  the  down  of  fine  stalks,  the  hair  of  the  downy  seeds 
of  the  button-wood  {^Platanus),  or  the  papus  of  compound  flowers, 
and  then  lined  either  with  fine  bent  grass  {Agrostis),  or  down,  and 
horsehair,  and  rarely  with  a  few  accidental  feathers." 

The  eggs  are  usually  four  in  number,  sometimes  five: 
they  vary  in  color  from  creamy-white,  with  numerous  spots 
and  blotches  of  different  shades  of  brown,  to  a  grayish-white 
with  a  greenish  tint,  and  marked  with  the  same  spots  and 
blotches ;  these  markings  are  thickest  at  the  larger  end  of 
the  egg,  where  they  are  often  confluent.  Dimensions  vary 
from  .67  by  .50  inch  to  .64  by  .50  inch.  The  habits  of  this 
bird  are  well  known ;  and  its  genial  nature  and  confid- 
ing disposition  have  rendered  it  a  great  favorite  with  the 
farmer. 

DENDBOICA  MACULOSA.— iSairi. 

The  Black  and  Yellow  Warbler;  Magnolia  Warbler. 

MotaciUa  maculosa,  Gmelin.     Syst.,  I.  (1788)  984. 

Sylvia  maculosa,  Nuttall.  Man.,  L  (1832)  870.  Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  I.  (1831)  260; 
n.  (1884)  146;  V.  (1839)458. 

Sylvia  magnolia,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  IIL  (1811)  63. 

Description. 

Male,  in  spring.  —  Bill  dark  bluish-black,  mther  lighter  beneath;  tail  dusky, 
top  of  head  light  grayish-blue;  front,  lore,  cheek,  and  a  stripe  unde*  the  eye,  black, 
running  intD  a  large  triangular  patch  on  the  back,  between  the  wings,  which  is  also 
black;  eyelids  and  a  stripe  from  the  eye  along  the  head  white;  upper  tail  coverts 
black,  some  of  the  feathers  tipped  with  grayish;  abdomen  and  lower  tail  coverts 
white;  rump  aud  under  parts,  except  as  described,  yellow;  lower  throat,  breast,  and 
sides  streaked  with  black,  the  streaks  closer  on  the  lower  throat  and  fore  breast; 
lesser  wing  coverts,  and  edges  of  the  wing  and  tail,  bluish-gray,  the  former  spotted 
with  black ;  quills  and  tail  almost  black,  the  latter  with  a  square  patch  of  white  on 
the  inner  webs  of  all  the  tail  feathers  (but  the  two  inner),  beyond  the  middle  of  the 
tail;  two  white  bands  across  the  wings  (sometimes  coalesced  into  one),  formed  by 
the  small  coverts  and  secondaries;  part  of  the  edge  of  the  inner  webs  of  the  quills 
white;  feathers  margining  the  black  patch  on  the  back  behind  and  on  the  sides 
tinged  with  greenish. 

Second  and  third  quills  longest,  first  shorter  than  fourth;  tail  rounded,  emarginate. 

Fanale,  in  spring.  —  In  general  appearance  like  the  male,  but  with  the  corre- 
sponding colors  much  duller;  the  black  on  the  back  reduced  to  a  few  large  proxi- 


4. 


THE   BLACK   AND   YELLOW   WARBLEU. 


239 


mate  spots;  tho  spots  on  the  under  parts  much  fewer;  upper  parts  dirty-ash,  tinged 
with  greenish  on  the  lower  back ;  on  the  rump  dull-yellow. 

Male,  in  autumn.  —  Bill  brown,  lighter  along  the  edges  and  base  of  lower  man- 
dible; head  and  hind  neck  dirty-ash,  tinged  above  with  green;  back  greenish- 
yellow,  obsoletely  spotted  with  black;  rump  yellow;  throat  and  breast  yellow, 
obsoletely  spotted  with  black,  strongly  tinged  with  light-ash  on  the  lower  throat; 
eyelids  dirty-white ;  differs  from  the  spring  plumage  in  being  without  the  black  on 
the  back,  front,  sides  of  the  head  and  cheeks,  and  in  a  great  degree  on  the  under 
parts;  much  less  white  on  the  wing  and  side  of  the  head;  the  colors  generally 
also  are  duller.  i 

Female,  in  auiumn.  —  Similar,  generally,  to  the  male  in  fall.  Back  greenish- 
yellow,  brighter  on  the  rump;  rest  of  upper  parts  deep-ash;  lower  parts  yellow, 
obsoletely  streaked  with  black,  the  light-ash  on  the  lower  throat  decided;  the 
white  on  the  wings  reduced  to  two  narrow  bands.  There  is  a  continuous  white  ring 
round  the  eye;  bill  light  brown;  basal  part  of  lower  mandible  dirtj'-white;  feet 
lighter  brown. 

Specimens  varj-  somewhat  in  the  amount  of  black  on  the  under  parts. 

Length,  five  inches ;  wing,  two  and  fifty  one-hundredths ;  tail,  two  and  twenty-five 
one-hundredths  inches. 

This  beautiful  bird  ia  not  uncommon  m  the  migrations 
in  the  three  southern  New-England  States,  and  is  a  summer 
resident  in  tlie  others.  It  does  not  make  its  appearance 
before  the  10th  of  May,  and 
proceeds  slowly  in  its  travels. 
I  found  numbers  in  Northern 
Maine  and  New  Hampshire  as 
late  as  the  17th  of  June,  They 
were  industrious,  and  seemed  to 
be,  at  that  late  date,  but  just 
mating.  Hence  I  infer  that  they 
rear  but  one  brood,  and  not  until 
late  in  the  season. 

The  note  of  the  male  is  very 
similar  to  that  of  the  Chestnut- 
sided  Warbler ;  and  I  was  de- 
ceived by  it  into  mistaking  this 
for  that  species.    It  had  the  hab- 

.,„.,,,.,,  T  ,  Upper  flg.YeUow  Warbler. 

Its  01   that  bird  also,  and  seemed     Lower  ag.,  maet  and  Yellow  Warbler 

to  prefer  the  low,  swampy  woods  to  the  higher  ones. 

Although  I  looked  very  carefully  and  diligently  for  the 
nest,  I  could  not  find  it.    From  the  fact  that  the  birds  were 


^^Mmmamm 


mmm 


iiiiiiiiiitfijuiijiMilii 


240 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


I 


■ 


almost  alwa)'8  in  or  near  clearings  or  young  growth,  I  judge 
that  they  nest  in  such  localities.  Mr.  Hutchins  informs  us, 
that,  in  the  Hudson's  Bay  country,  the  nest  is  built  in  wil- 
lows, and  that  it  is  constructed  of  grass  and  feathers :  he 
also  says  that  the  female  lays  four  eggs.  I  can  find  no 
other  description  of  the  nest  or  eggs. 

After  the  25th  of  September,  none  are  to  be  found  in 
New  England. 

DENSBOICA  TIOEIHA.— JBatVA 
The  Cape-Hay  Warbler. 

MotaciOa  Hgrina,  Gmelm.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1788)  986. 

Sylvia  maritima,  Wilson.  Am.  Cm.,  VL  (1812)  99.  Nutt.  Man.,  L  (1882)  156. 
Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  V.  (1839)  166. 

Description. 

Bill  very  acute,  conical,  and  decidedly  curved ;  bill  and  feet  black ;  upper  part  of 
head  dull-black,  some  of  the  feathers  faintly  margined  with  light  yellowish-brown; 
collar  scarcely  meeting  behind;  rump  and  under  parts  generally  rich-yellow;  throat, 
fore  part  of  breast,  and  sides,  streaked  with  black;  abdomen  and  lower  tail  coverts 
pale-yel!  ^v,  brighter  about  the  vent ;  ear  coverts  light  reddish-chestnut ;  back  part  of 
a  yellow  line  from  nostrils  over  the  eye,  of  this  same  color;  chin  and  throat  tinged 
also  with  it;  a  black  line  from  commissure  through  the  eye,  and  running  into  the 
chestnut  of  the  ear  coverts;  back,  shoulder,  edges  of  the  wing  and  tail,  yellowish- 
olive,  the  former  spotted  with  dusky;  one  row  of  small  coverU,  and  outer  bases  of 
the  secondary  coverts,  form  a  large  patch  of  white,  tinged  with  pale-yellow;  tertials 
rather  broadly  edged  with  brownish-white;  quills  and  tail  dark-brown,  the  three 
outer  feathers  of  the  latter  largely  marked  with  white  on  the  inner  web;  edge  of  the 
outer  web  of  the  outer  feathers  white,  more  perceptible  towards  the  base. 

Length,  five  and  twentj'-flve  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  two  and  eighty-four 
one-hundredths;  tail,  two  and  fifteen  one-hundredths  inches. 


This  species  appears  to  be  quite  rare  in  New  England, 
but  it  probably  occurs  regularly  in  the  migrations.  It  is 
said  to  breed  in  south-eaStern  Maine,  and  it  probably  does 
so  in  the  northern  sections. 


DEHSBOICA  VAUUSXnL—Baird. 

The  TeUow  Bed-poll  Warbler, 

Motadlla  palmarum,  Gmelin.    Syst  Nat,  I.  (1788)  951. 

Sylvia  petechia,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  VI.  (1812)  19.    Nutt  Man.,  I.  (1882)  884. 
Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  II.  (1884)  269,  360. 


THE  PRAIRIE   WARBLER. 


241 


Description. 

Head  above  chestnut-red;  rest  of  upper  parts  brownish  olive-gray;  tlie  fcatlicra 
with  darker  centres,  the  color  brightening  on  the  rump,  upper  tail  coverts,  and  outer 
margins  of  wing  and  tail  feathers,  to  greenish-yellow ;  a  streak  from  nostrils  over  the 
eye,  and  under  parts  generally,  including  the  tail  coverts,  bright-yellow;  paler  ou 
the  body;  a  maxillary  line;  breast  and  sides  finely  but  rather  obsoletely  streaked 
with  reddish-brown;  cheeks  brownish  (in  highest  spring  plumage,  chestnut  like  the 
head);  the  eyelids  and  a  spot  under  the  eye  olive-brown;  lores  dusky;  a  white  spot 
on  the  inner  web  of  the  outer  two  tail  feathers  at  the  end. 

Length,  five  inches;  wing,  two  and  forty-two  one-hundredths ;  tail,  two  and 
twenty-five  one-hundredths  inches. 

This  is  one  of  the  earliest  of  our  spring  visitors,  arriving 
sometimes  as  early  as  the  first  week  in  April :  it  is  quite 
abundant  until  the  second  week  of  May,  when  it  moves  on 
to  its  northern  breeding-homes.  While  here,  it  prefers  the 
neighborhood  of  a  swampy  thicket,  and  is  seldom  seen  in 
high  dry  woods.  It  is,  like  the  other  Warblers,  always 
actively  employed  in  searching  for  insects,  which  it  captures 
as  often  while  on  the  wing  as  otherwise.  Its  note  is  a  faint 
tinkle  like  that  of  the  Golden-crested  Wren.  There  are  only 
a  few  that  breed  in  New  England.  I  have  in  my  collection  a 
neet  and  eggs  collected  in  Northern  Maine  by  Mr.  George 
A.  Boardman,  of  Calais.  The  nest  was  placed  on  the 
ground.  It  is  constructed  loosely,  first  of  stalks  df  weeds 
and  grasses :  alove  these  is  placed  a  layer  of  fine  roots  and 
grass ;  then  are  laid  pieces  of  moss,  caterpillars'  silk,  fine 
grasses,  and  hairs ;  and  the  whole  is  deeply  hollowed,  and 
lined  with  fine  roots  and  pine-leaves.  Two  eggs  in  the  nest 
are  of  a  delicate  white,  with  a  faint  roseate  tint :  they  are 
marked  at  the  larger  end  with  fine  spots  and  blotches  of 
reddish  and  brown.  They  are  about  the  size  of  the  eggs 
of  the  Blue  Yellow-backed  Warbler,  being  .61  by  .60  inch 
and  .62  by  .61  inch. 

DESDROICA   DISCOLOB.  — fiatrd 

y.  The  Prairie  Warbler.  - 

SsfoCa  <fi»«*>r,  Vieillot    Ois.  Am.  Sept.,  IL  (1807)  87.    Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  L 
(1881)  76.    Nutt.  Man.,  I.  (1882)  294. 

Sjfiria  mimUa,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  IIL  (1811)  87, 

16 


~^mm^&;^'s&i,vm^s^mms!m^&^^'7mmt» 


miimi 


kn 


242 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


Descbiption. 
Above  uniform  olive-green;  the  middle  of  the  back  streaked  with  browni.h-red. 
Under  parts  and  sides  of  the  head,  including  a  broad  superciliary  lino  ffum'^e  nos- 
trils to  a  little  behind  the  eye,  bright-yellow,  brightest  anteriorly;  a  well-defined 
arrow  stripe  from  the  commissure  of  the  mouth  through  the  eye,  and  another  from 
the  same  point  curving  gently  below  it,  also  a  series  of  streaks  on  each  s.de  of  the 
body,  extending  from  the  throat  to  the  flanks,  black;  quills  and  tail  feathers  brown, 
edged  with  white  J  the  terminal  half  of  the  inner  web  of  the  first  and  «e<=on'l  ""1 
feathers  white;  two  yellowish  bands  on  the  wings.     Female  similar,  but  duller; 

the  dorsal  streaks  indistinct.  .  ^    .    a  .» 

Length,  four  and  eightj'-sixone-hundredths  inches;  wing,  two  and  twenty-five 

one-hundredths  j  tail;  two  and  ten  one-hundredths  inches. 

This  beautifvil  bird  is  not  very  common  in  any  part  of 
New  England ;  and  it  appears,  to  be  a  rather  rare  species 
north  of  Massachusetts,  whicii  State  seems  to  be  its  northern 
breeding  limit.    It  makes  its  appearance  about  the  third 
week  in  May,  and  commences  building  about  the  last  of 
that  month.    I  have  been  so  fortunate  as  to  find  two  nests 
in  Norfolk  County,  and  have  had  another  nest  and  eggs  sent 
me  from  Belmont,  in  this  Sljate :  I  have  also  known  of  sev- 
eral other  nests  being  found,  and  judge  that  the  species 
breeds  not  uncommonly  in  Massachusetts  and  the  other  two 
southern  New-England  States.    Tliese  nests  were  all  placed 
in  low  barberry  bushes,  in  rocky  localities.    They  are  ex- 
ceedingly neat  structures,  the  most  so  of  any  of  our  New- 
England  Warblers'  nests :  they  are  constructed  of  various 
soft  cottony  substances,  after  the  manner  of  the  nest  of  the 
Yellow  Warbler,  and  are  lined  with  soft  feathers  and  wool. 
The  eggs  are  usually  three  in  number.    These  are  of  a  beau- 
tiful pearly-white  color,  with  a  slight  roseate  tint,  and  cov- 
ered irregularly  with  small  spots  of  different  shades  of 
brown  and  lilac,  thickest  at  the  large  end.    Dimensions  of 
three  eggs  collected  in  Belmont,  Mass. :  .64  by  .62  inch,  .63 
by  .52  inch,  .60  by  .60  inch.     The  above-described  nests 
were  invariably  placed  in  the  fork  of  the  bush  in  which 
they  were  built:  the  materials  were  the  same,  consisting  of 
the  down  from  different  plants,  cotton,  wool,  and  other  like 

substances.    I  find,  on  referring  to  Audubon,  Wilson,  and 


THE  PRAIRIE  WARBLER. 


243 


owniah-red. 
om  the  nos- 
vrell-deflned 
nother  from 
side  of  the 
here  brown, 
second  tail 
but  duller; 

twenty-five 


T  part  of 
3  species 
northern 
the  third 

last  of 
two  nests 
eggs  sent 
n  of  sev- 
.6  species 
other  two 
all  placed 
ly  are  ex- 
our  New- 
)f  various 
est  of  the 
and  wool, 
of  a  beaii- 
,  and  cov- 
shades  (»f 
nsions  of 
I  inch,  .63 
[bed  nests 

in  which 

isisting  of 

other  like 

''ilson,  and 


others,  considerable  differences  in  the  description  of  the 
nest,  &c.     Wilson's  description  is  as  follows :  — 

"  The  nest  of  this  species  is  of  very  neat  and  delicate  workman- 
ship, being  pensile,  and  generally  hung  on  the  frjrk  of  a  low  bush 
or  thicket.  It  is  formed  outwardly  of  green  moss,  intermixed  with 
rotten  bits  of  wood  and  caterpillars'  silk :  the  inside  is  lined  with 
extremely  fine  fibres  of  grape-vine  bark;  and  the  whole  would 
scarcely  weigh  a  quarter  of  an  ounce." 

Audubon  says,  — 

"  Its  nest,  which  forms  by  far  the  most  interesting  part  of  its  his- 
tory, is  uncommonly  small  and  delicate.  Its  eggs  I  have  uniformly 
found  to  be  four  in  number,  and  of  a  white  color,  with  a  few  brown- 
ish spots  near  the  larger  end.  The  nest  is  sometimes  attached  to 
three  or  four  blades  of  tall  grass,  or  hangs  between  two  small  sprigs 
of  a  slender  twig.  At  first  sight,  it  seems  to  be  formed  like  that  of 
the  Humming-bird;  the  external  parts  being  composed  of  deli- 
cate gray  lichens  and  other  substances,  and  skins  of  black  cater- 
pillars, and  the  interior  finished  with  the  finest  fibres  of  dried 
vines." 

Nuttall  says,  in  contradiction  to  these  descriptions, — 

"  The  nest  was  hardly  distinguishable  from  that  of  the  Summer 
Yellow-bird  (Yellow  Warbler),  being  fixed  in  a  trifid  branch  (not 
pensile),  and  formed  of  strips  of  inner  red-cedar  bark  and  atclepiat 
fibres,  also  with  some  caterpillar  silk,  and  thickly  lined  with  cud- 
weed down  (  Gnaphalium  plantagtneum),  and  slender  tops  of  bent 
grass  (Agrostis).  The  eggs,  four  or  five,  were  white,  rather  sharp 
at  the  lesser  end,  marked  with  spots  of  lilac-purple,  and  others  of 
two  difiereut  shades  of  brown,  rather  numerous  at  the  great  end, 
where  they  appear  most  collated  together  in  a  circle." 

Nuttall's  description  of  the  nest  is  certainly  the  most 
correct,  so  far  as  shown  in  all  the  specimens  that  I  have : " 
probably,  in  different  sections,  the  breeding  habits  of  this 
bird  are,  like  those  of  some  others,  subject  to  great  varia- 
tiona. 


nr 


■  ; 


1: 


Hi! 


(! 


!■ 


244 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


Wilson  says,  in  his  description  of  the  habits  of  those 
birds,  — 

"They  seem  to  prefer  these  open  plains  and  thinly  wooded 
tracte,  and  have  this  singularity  in  their  manners,  that  they  are 
not  easily  alarmed,  and  search  among  the  leaves  the  most  leisurely 
of  any  of  the  tribe  I  have  yet  met  with ;  seeming  to  examine  every 
blade  of  grass  and  every  leaf;  uttering,  at  short  intervals,  a  feeble 
chirr.  I  have  observed  one  of  these  birds  to  sit  on  the  lower 
branch  of  a  tree  for  half  an  hour  at  a  time,  and  allow  me  to  come 
up  nearly  to  the  foot  of  the  tree,  without  seeming  to  be  in  the  leaat 
disturbed,  or  to  discontinue  the  regularity  of  its  occasional  note. 
In  activity,  it  is  the  reverse  of  the  preceding  species ;  and  is  rather 
a  scarce  bird  in  the  countries  where  I  found  it.  Its  food  consists 
principally  of  small  caterpillars  and  winged  insects." 

In  closing  with  the  genus  Dendroica,  I  give  the  remarks 
of  J.  A.  Allen  concerning  the  distribution  of  the  diflferent 
species  at  Springfield,  Mass. :  — 

"  Of  the  twenty-two  species  of  Dendroica  inhabiting  the  United 
States,  thhteen  have  been  found  at  Springfield,  and  one  other 
(D.  cceruUa)  may  occur  as  accidental  or  extremely  rare.     Four  of 
them  (B.  virens,  pinut,  Pennsyhanica,  astiva)  are  known  to  breed 
here,  and  two  others  (2).  Blackbumia,  castanea)  have  been  taken 
in  the  breeding  season.    None  are  permanent  residents,  and  none 
are  seen  in  the  winter.    The  remaining  five  (2).  ccyronaia,  striata, 
maculosa,  tigrina,  palmarum)  are  at  present  known  merely  as 
spring  and  autumn  visitants.     D.  coronata  is  most  abundant; 
striata  next  bo;  virens.  Canadensis,  macuUsa,  astiva,  mA  palma- 
rum are  but  little  less  common ;  Elackhirnia  is  more  rare ;  casta- 
nea and  discohr  are  quite  rare,  whUe  tigrina  is  extremely  rare. 
The  eariiest  to  arrive  are  pinus  and  palmarum,  commonly  appearmg 
eariy  m  April;  striata  is  rarely  seen  before  May  80:   the  others 
commonly  arrive  ftom  May  5th  to  May  12th,  and  stragglers  remam 
till  June.    D.  coronata  is  decidedly  gregarious  m  its  migrations, 
'  and  is  everywhere  about  equally  abundant.  The  others  are  usuaUy 
■een  m  small  parties,  and  keep  pretty  closely  to  the  woods,  except 
D.  astiva  and  palmarum,  astiva,  being  never  found  in  the  deep 
woods." 


: 


'         I 


THE  HOODED  WARBLER, 


246 


MYIODIOCTES,  Audubok. 

Afyiodioeiet,  Audubon,  Syn.  (1889),  48.  (Type  MotaciHa  mitraUi.) 
Bill  (IcpreMed,  Klycalcher  like ;  broader  than  high  at  the  bate ;  );apo  with  bristle* 
nearly  as  lon^  as  the  bill,  which  is  distinctly  notched  at  tip;  both  outlines  gently 
convex;  tarsi  longer  than  the  head,  considerably  exceeding  the  middle  toe;  claws 
all  considerably  curved ;  tail  decidedly  rounded  or  slightly  graduated ;  the  lateral 
feathers  one-finh  of  an  inch  shorter;  wing  very  little  longer  than  the  toil;  the  first 
quill  decidedly  shorter  tlian  the  fourth ;  colors  yellow. 


MTICDIOCTES  HITEATVS AudiAon. 

The  Hooded  Warbler. 

Motacilla  mitrata,  Gmelin.    Syst.  Ntt.,  I.  (1788)  977. 

SyMa  mitrata,  Nuttall.    Man.,  I.  (1832)  873.    Aud.  Cm.  Biog.,  II.  (1884)  68. 

Sylvania  mitrata,  Nuttall.    Man.,  I.  (2d  ed.,  1840)  388. 

Muicicapa  cucuUata,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  III.  (1811)  101. 

Dbbcription. 

Mah.  —  Bill  black ;  feet  pale-yellow ;  head  aid  neck  all  round,  and  fore  part  of 
the  breast,  black;  a  broad  patch  on  the  forehead  extending  round  on  the  entire 
cheeks  and  ear  coverts,  with  the  under  parts,  bright-yellow ;  upper  parts  and  sides 
of  the  body  olive-green;  greater  portion  of  inner  web  of  three  outer  tail  feathers 
white. 

Female  siiailkT;  the  crown  like  the  back;  the  forehead  yellowish:  the  sides  of 
the  head  yellow,  tinged  with  olive  on  tlie  lores  and  ear  coverts. 

Length,  five  inches;  w:^g,  two  and  seventy-five  one-hundredths;  tail,  two  and 
flily-five  one-hundredths  inches. 

This  bird  is  so  extremely  rare  in  New  England,  that  it 
can  be  regarded  only  as  a  straggler.  It  has  been  known  to 
occur  in  Connecticut,  but  its  regular  habitat  is  more  a 
southern  one.    Audubon  describes  its  habits  as  follows  :  — 

"  The  Hooded  Flycatcher  is  one  of  the  liveliest  of  its  tribe,  and 
is  almost  continually  in  motion.  Fond  of  secluded  places,  it  is 
equally  to  be  met  with  in  the  thick  cane-brakes  of  the  high  or  low 
lands,  or  amid  the  rank  weeds  and  tangled  rushes  of  the  lowest 
and  most  impenetrable  swamps.  You  recognize  it  instantly,  on 
seeing  it ;  for  the  peculiar  graceful  opening  and  closing  of  its  broad 
tail  distinguishes  it  at  once,  as  it  goes  on  gambolling  from  bush  to 
bush,  now  in  sight,  now  hidden  from  your  eye,  but  constantly 
within  hearing. 


I 


t46 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


"  The  nest  of  thi»  species  is  always  placed  low,  and  is  generally 
attached  to  the  forks  of  small  twig«.  It  is  neatly  and  compactly 
formed  of  mosses,  dried  grasses,  and  fibrous  roots,  and  is  carefully 
lined  with  hair,  and,  not  uufrequently,  a  few  large  feathers.  The 
eggs  are  from  fbur  to  six,  of  a  dull-white,  spotted  with  reddish- 
brown  towards  the  larger  end.  The  male  and  female  sit  by  turns, 
and  show  extreme  anxiety  for  the  safety  of  their  eggs  or  young." 

HTIODIOCTES  r\}SlLLV&.  —  Botw^rte. 

The  Green  Blaok-otp  Flycatcher ;    Wilson's  Blaok-esp. 

MuMcicapa  putilla,  Wilson.    Am.  Cm.,  IH.  (1811)  108. 
Byhania  putilla,  Nuttall.    Man.,  1.  (M  ed.,  1840)  886. 
Sylvia  Wiltorui,  Nuttall.    Man.,  I.  (1882)  408. 
Mmdcapa  WUtonii,  Audubon.    Cm.  Biog.,  IL  (1884)  148. 

Debcriftion. 

Forehead,  line  over  and  around  the  eye  and  under  parts  generally  bright-yellow; 
upper  part  olive-green;  a  square  patch  on  the  crown  lustrous-black  ;  sides  of  body 
and  cheeks  tinged  with  olive;  no  white  on  wings  or  tail.  Female  simUar;  the 
black  of  the  crown  obscured  by  olive-green. 

Length,  fbur  and  seventy-five  one-hundredths  Inches;  wing,  two  and  twenty- 
five  one-hundredths  ;  tail,  two  and  thirty  one-hundredths  inches.  ^  , 

Occurs  in  sparing  numbers  from  May  12th  to  27th.  Ha,ve 
seen  it  in  apple-orchards,  actively  engaged  in  hunting  in- 
sects, at  which  times  it  was  quite  tame,  uttering  its  song  at 
intervals.  It  has  also  been  observed  in  August.  Probably 
breeds  in  Northern  New  England. 

"It  has  all  the  habits  of  a  true  Flycatcher,  feeding  on  small 
insects,  which  it  catches  enturely  on  the  wing,  snapping  its  bill  with 
a  smart  clicking  sound.  It  frequents  the  borders  of  the  lakes,  and 
Buch  streams  as  are  frmged  with  low  bushfc,  from  which  it  is  seen 
every  moment  sallymg  forth,  pursuing  iU  insect  prey  for  many 
yards  at  a  time,  and  agam  throwmg  itself  into  its  favorite  thickets. 
"The  nest  is  placed  on  the  extremity  of •  a  small  horizontal 
branch,  among  the  thick  foliage  of  dwarf  firs,  not  more  than  from 
three  to  five  feet  from  the  ground,  and  in  the  centre  of  the  thickets 
of  these  trees  so  common  in  Labrador.  The  materials  of  which  it 
i8  composed  are  bits  of  dry  moss  and  delictite  pine  twigs,  aggluti- 
nated together  and  to  the  branches  or  leaves  around  it,  and  beneath 


ii 


THE   CANADA    FLYCATCHER. 


247 


which  it  is  suspended,  with  a  lining  of  extremely  flne  and  trans- 
parent fibres.  The  greatest  diameter  does  not  exceed  three  and  a 
half  inches,  and  the  depth  is  not  more  than  one  and  a  half.  The 
eggi  are  four,  dull-white,  sprinkled  with  reddish  and  brown  dota 
towards  the  larger  end,  where  the  marks  form  a  circle,  leaving 
the  extremity  plain.  The  parents  show  much  uneasiness  at  the 
approach  of  any  intruder,  skipping  about  and  around  among  the 
twigs  and  in  the  air,  snapping  their  bill,  and  uttering  a  plaintive 
note.  They  raise  only  one  brood  in  the  season.  The  young 
males  show  their  black  cap  as  soon  as  they  are  Ailly  fledged,  and 
before  their  departure  to  the  South." — Audubon. 

f 

This  bird,  according  to  Audubon,  is  not  very  rare  in 
Maino,  and  it  becomes  more  abundant  the  farther,  north  wo 
proceed.  He  found  it  in  Labrador  and  all  the  immediate 
districts ;  it  reaching  that  country  early  in  June,  and  re- 
turning southward  by  the  middle  of  August. 


MTIODIOCTES  CkSAStTXSlS.  —  Audubon. 

The  Canada  Flyoatoher. 

ifutcicapa  CanadentU,  Linnieus.     Syat  Nat,  I.  (1760)  837.    Wit.  Am.  Om., 

III.  (1811)  100.    And.  Orn.  Biog.,  II.  (1834)  17. 

St/lvia pardalina,  Bonaparte.    Nutt  Man.,  I.  (1832)  873. 

• 

Dkscriftioh.  , 

Upper  parts  bluish-ash;  a  ring  round  the  eye,  with  a  line  runnin'r  to  the  nos- 
trils, and  the  whole  under  part  (except  the  tail  coverta,  which  are  whitu),  Itright- 
yellow;  centres  of  the  feathers  in  the  anterior  half  of  the  crovm,  the  cheeks,  i  in- 
tii)nous  with  a  line  on  the  side  of  the  neck  to  the  breast,  and  a  series  of  spots  across 
the  fore  part  of  the  breast,  black ;  tail  feathers  unspotted.  Female  simihur,  with  the 
black  of  the  head  and  breast  leas  distinct    In  the  young  obftlete. 

Length,  five  and  thirty-four  one  hundredths  inches ;  wing,  two  and  sixty-seven 
one-hundredlhs;  tail,  two  and  fifty  one-bundredths  inches. 

This  beautiful  species  is  a  rather  common  spring  and 
autumn  visitor  in  all  New  England,  and,  in  the  northern 
sections  of  these  States,  is  an  inhabitant  through  the  whole 
summer.  It  sometimes  breeds  in  Massachusetts;  and  I 
have  no  doubt,  that,  in  a  few  years,  it  will  be  found  to 
breed  abundantly  in  this  State,  as  it  has  increased  in  num- 


' 


JF- 


£48 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


berfl  greatly  within  four  or  fivo  years.  It  arrives  from  the 
South  from  about  the  10th  to  the  2r)th  of  Miiy.  Tho  birds 
Bcom  to  bo  mated  on  their  arrival ;  for  I  havo  noticed,  that, 
if  a  male  is  seen,  a  female  is  almost  always  to  bo  found  in 
his  immediate  vicinity. 

About  tho  first  week  in  June,  tho  nest  is  built.i  This  is 
fixed  in  a  fork  of  a  low  cedar  or  pine  bush,  very  near  tho 
ground,  and  is  constructed  of  pine  leaves,  fine  roots  and 
grasses,  and  a  few  hairs :  it  is  loosely  put  together,  and  is 
lined  with  fine  pieces  of  tho  same  materials  and  lichens. 

The  eggs  are  four  in  number.  Tlicy  are  small  and 
abruptly  pointed :  they  are  of  a  grayish-whito  color,  with  a 
slight  roseate  tint,  and  are  marked  with  spots  and  fine 
blotches  of  lilac  and  brown,  usually  thickest  near  tho  larger 
end.  The  only  nest  and  eggs  that  I  have  seen  were  of  this 
description:  they  were  found  in  Quiucy,  Mass.,  in  an  old 
pasture,  partly  grown  up  with  bushes. 

Tho  eggs  were  nearly  of  a  uniform  size  and  shape,  and 
measured  about  .65  by  .48  inch  in  dimensions. 

The  habits  of  this  species  are  so  much  like  those  of  the 
preceding,  that,  if  tho  Wilson's  Black-cap  were  more  com- 
mon,  the  two  birds  might  be  easily  confounded.  Tho  flight 
of  the  present  is  rapid  ;  and  all  the  motions  of  the  bird,  when 
it  is  pursuing  insects,  are  those  of  tho  true  Flycatchers.  Its 
note  is  a  shrill  weichy,  wiechy,  which  is  uttered  at  short 
intervals  by  the  bird,  both  while  on  the  wing  and  when 
perching.  About  the  first  week  in  September,  it  begins  to 
grow  abundant;  and,  by  tho  15th  of  that  month,  it  has 
departed  on  its  southern  migration. 


SETOPHAGA,  Swawsow. 

8eU>phaga,  Swawboh,  L'  ol.  Jour.,  IH.  (Dec.,  1827)  8W.  (Type  :iuteieiq,a  ruti- 
eiBa,  Linnreug.) 

Bill  depressed,  broader  than  high;  rictus  with  ■i*i       ag*  rounded, 

equal  to  or  shorter  than  the  tail;  first  quill  shorter  than  the  fourth;  tail  long,  some- 
what  grailuaii'd,  the  outer  feathers  about  twenty  onc-hundredths  of  an  inch  or  more 
shorter;  all  the  feathers  unusually  broad,  and  widened  at  the  end;  feet  short;  tarsuu 

1  S«e  Appendix. 


^mttHmmmm 


THE   BED   START. 


240 


ibortcr  than  the  hpad;  hind  to«  eqa»l  to  the  lateral ;  culoratlnn  einbrafing  more  or 
lea*  of  rvd  in  nortlii^rn  iperlei. 

This  ^jtnii.i  (litrcn  frsjiii  Myindioctta  fhicfly  in  the  longer,  broader  tail,  and  rather 
•horter  tami  and  toea,  the  hinder  ei<p«ciaily;  the  bill  in  more  inuncicupino;  tliu 
culinen  nearly  ^traiKlit  to  the  abruptly  dcvurved  and  much  notvli«d  tip;  the  Kuoy" 
(trai){hti  in  AfyuHlioclti  the  vertioiil  outlinua  are  mora  cuiivtiKi  the  gouya  wore 
McendinK;  the  tip  gently  and  but  ilightly  decurved. 


8ET0PHAOA  SUTICILLA.  —  Swaintoit. 

Th«  Sad  Start 

Afuicicnpa  ruticilla,  Llnnmus.     Syat  Nat,  I.  (1766)  826.    Wil.  Am.  Orn.,  I. 
(180H)  103.    And.  Orn.  Hiog.,  I.  (1831)  203;  V.  (1880)  428. 
BylvanMnUicitla,  HutUtt.    Man.,  I.  (1882)  291. 

t)EaCRIPTION. 

AfaU.  —  Provailing  color  black  i  a  crntral  line  on  the  breant,  the  abdomen,  and 
under  tail  covortn,  white;  tome  fcathera  in  the  latter  atron^ly  tinged  with  dark- 
brown;  banes  of  all  the  quilla,  except  the  inner  and  outer,  and  basal  half  of  all 
the  tail  feathcra,  except  the  middle  one,  a  patch  on  each  aide  of  the  breaitt,  and  the 
axillary  region  orange-red,  of  a  vermilion  ahade  on  the  breoat.  Female  with  the 
black  replaced  by  olive-green  above,  by  brownish-white  beneath;  the  head  tinged 
witli  ash;  a  grayish-white  lore  and  ring  round  the  eye;  the  red  of  the  male 
replaced  by  yellow. 

Length,  Ave  and  twent}--flve  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  two  and  fifty  on«> 
bundredtha  inchea;  tail,  two  and  forty-five  one-hundredths  inches. 

This  quite  common  species  is  a  summer  resident,  and 
broods  in  all  the  New-England  States.  It  arrives  from  the 
South  from  about  the  first  to  the  middle  of  May,  accord- 
ing to  latitude,  and  commences 
building  about  the  first  week 
in  June.  The  nest  is  usually 
placed  on  a  low  limb  of  a 
small  tree,  often  in  a  hori- 
zontal fork,  seldom  more  than 
ten  feet  from  the  ground.  It 
is  constructed  of  strips  of 
cedar  bark,  grape-vine  bark, 
grasses,  and  fine  weeds :  these 
materials  are  adjusted  neatly,  and  agglutinated  by  the  bird's 
saliva  into  a  compact  structure,  to  the  exterior  of  which 
are  attached,  or  plastered  on  by  the  bird's  saliva,  fragments 


s-^.'Sim^_^^. 


(T 


250 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


of  soft  lichens,  caterpillars'  silk,  and  down  from  the  ferns. 
It  is  deeply  hollowed,  and  lined  with  thin  strips  of  grape-vine 
bark  and  cottony  substances,  and  sometimes  a  few  hairs  or 
fibrous  roots.  Nuttall,  in  dedcribing  the  nest,  says  "  the 
lining  is  neither  soft  nor  downy ; "  but  Wilson  and  Audubon 
both  assert  to  the  contrary.  I  have  examined  a  great  num- 
ber of  the  nests,  and  have  found  them  to  agree  with  the 
foregoing  description.  The  eggs  are  usually  four  in  number. 
Their  color  is  a  beautiful  creamy-white,  which  is  covered, 
more  or  lessithickly,  with  spots  of  reddish-brown  and  lilac. 
Average  dimensions  of  eggs,  about  .63  by  .50  inch. 

Perhaps  the  best  description  I  can  give  of  the  habits  of 
this  bird  is  to  say  ihat  they  are  a  combination  of  those 
of  the  Flycatchers  and  Warblers ;  for,  like  the  former,  it 
pursues  flying  insects. in  the  air,  and  seizes  them  with  a 
.  loud  snapphig  of  the  bill,  and,  like  the  latter,  gleans  indus- 
triously for  them  among  the  foliage  and  branches  of  trees. 
The  note  of  the  Red  Start  is  a  shrill  chewSea,  which  is 
uttered  at  intervals  of  perhaps  a  half  or  whole  minute. 

I  have  not  noticed  that  it  prefers  any  particular  locality ; 
but  it  seems  to  frequent  the  woods,  pastures,  and  orchards 
in  equal  abundance :  and  I  have  known  of  a  pair  building, 
and  rearing  a  brood,  in  a  garden,  within  five  rods  of  a  house. 

About  the  16th  of  September,  the  Red  Start  leaves  for 
the  South ;  and,  after  the  20th  of  that  month,  none  are  to 
be  seen  in  New  England*. 


Sub-Family  Tanagrinje. — The  Tanagers. 
PYEANGA,  ViKiLLOT. 

Pyranga,  Vibillot,  Ois.  Am.  Sept.,  I.  (1807)  TV.  lb.,  Analyse  (1816),  82. 
8clat.,r,  Pr.  Zool.  Soc  (18B6),  128. 

Bill  somewhat  stroigbt;  sub-conical,  cylindrical,  notched  at  tip;  cnlmen  moder- 
ately curved;  commissure  with  a  median  acute  lobe;  wings  elongated;  the  four  first 
primaries  about  equal;  tail  moderate,  slightly  forked.  Colors  of  the  male  chiefly 
scarlet,  of  the  female  yellowish. 


the  ferns, 
rape-vine 
r  hairs  or 
ays  "  the 
Audubon 
'eat  num- 
with  the 
I  number. 

covered, 
and  lilac. 
1. 
habits  of 

of  those 
Former,  it 
im  with  a 
ms  indus- 
1  of  trees. 

which  is 
minute, 
r  locality ; 
i  orchards 
•  building, 
)f  a  house, 
leaves  for 
)ne  are  to 


ve  (1816),  82. 

mlmen  moder- 
l;  the  four  lint 
e  male  chiefly 


THE  SCABLET  TANAOER.  251 

PTBAHQA  BUBBA,— n«7to«. 

X  The  Soarlet  Tanager.  " 

Tamgranibra.  Linn.,  I.  (1766)  814.  Wil.  Am.  Om.,  II.  (1810)  42.  And.  Orn. 
Bl0g.,IV.(1838)888. 

Descriftion. 

Bill  shortoT  than  the  head;  second  quill  longest;  first  and  third  a  little  shorter; 
tail  moderately  fork  :d;  general  color  of  male  bright-carmine;  wings  and  tail  velvet- 
black,  the  quills  intornally  edged  with  white  towards  the  base.  Female  olive-green 
above,  yellowish  beneath;  wing  and  tail  feathers  brown,  edged  with  olivaccoui. 

The  young  males  are  colored  like  the  females,  but  generally  exhibit  more  or  lees 
of  red  feathers  among  the  greenish  ones.  Sometimes  the  full  plumage  is  varied  by 
a  few  yellow  feathers,  or  by  olivaceous  edges  to  the  wings;  not  unfrequently  there 
is  a  partly  concealed  bar  of  red  or  yellow  on  the  wing,  across  the  median  coverts. 
Young  mnles  are  sometimes  seen  with  the  body  like  the  female,  the  wings  and  tail 
like  the  male. 

Length,  seven  and  forty  one-hundredtha  inches;  wing,  four  inches;  tail,  three 
inches. 

This  gaudy  summer  visitor  breeds  in  all  the  New-England 
States ;  less  plentifully,  however,  in  the  northern  than  in  the 
southern  districts.  It  arrives  from  the  South  about  the. fif- 
teenth of  May,  and  commences  building  about  the  last  of 
that  month.  The  favorite  localities  of  this  bird  seem  to  be 
oak-groves,  situated  near  swamps :  here  I  have  often  heard 
several  males  singing  at  the  same  time,  and  have  watched 
them  in  their  active  movements  in  their  pursuit  of  insects, 
of  which  this  species  destroys  great  numbers.  The  nest  is 
placed  on  a  horizontal  limb  of  a  tree,  usually  from  fifteen 
to  twenty  feet  from  the  ground,  in  the  deep  woods.  It  is 
constructed  of  slender  twigs  of  the  oak,  huckleberry  or 
whortleberry  bush,  and  weeds:  these  are  loosely  put  to- 
gether ;  so  much  so,  that,  were  it  not  for  the  interlacing  of 
the  small  joints  of  the  twigs,  it  would  soon  fall  apart.  It  is 
not  deeply  hollowed,  and  is  lined  with  thread-like  fibrous 
roots  and  the  leaves  of  the  various  pines.  The  whole 
structure  is  so  thinly  made  as  almost  to  fall  to  pieces  on 
removal  from  the  tree.  The  eggs  are  usually  four  in  num- 
ber, sometimes  three,  seldom  five.  They  are  of  a  dull  light 
greenish-blue  color,  of  different  shades,  and  spattered  with 


1 


.;• 


252 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


purplish-brown,  in  some  specimens  quite  thickly,  in  others 
less  so.  The  ground-color  is  the  most  prominent ;  the  mark- 
ings never  completely  hiding  it,  or  sufficieutly  confluent  to 


be  called  blotches.  A  nost  complement  of  four  eggs,  in  a 
nest  collected  in  Milton,  Mass.,  exhibit  the  foUoifring  meas- 
urements: .97  by  .66  inch,  .93  by  .65  inch,  .90  by  .62  inch, 
.88  by  .64  inch.  Other  specimens  show  no  great  variations 
from  these  dimensions. 

The  Scarlet  Tanager  thrives  well  in  confinement,  and 
makes  a  beautiful  and  interesting  pet.  I  once  kept  one 
caged  for  over  six  months.  He  eat  seeds  and  small  fruits, 
and,  within  a  week  after  his  capture,  chanted  his  warbling 
song  with  perfect  freedom.  He  had,  and  I  have  also  noted 
that  all  of  this  species  have,  a  sort  of  ventriloquism  in  his 
song:  it  at  times  sounded  as  if  at  quite  a  distance;  and  I 
have  been  deceived  in  this  manner,  by  birds  that  were  almost 
over  my  head,  into  supposing  that  they  were  far  away. 


■J- 


THE  SCARLET  TANA6ER. 


253 


The  song  is  almost  exactly  like  that  of  the  Robin,  but  is 
often  broken  with  a  pensive  call-note,  sounding  like  the 
syllables  chip  churr. 

Early  in  September,  the  Tanagers  leave  for  their  Southern 
homes ;  from  which  they  seem,  while  here,  hardly  more  than 
wanderers,  so  commonly  do  we  associate  gaudy  plumages 
with  tropical  climes.  They  winter,  probably,  iu  Central 
America  and  the  Bahamas. 


i 


I 


254 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


Family  HIRUNDINIDiE.    The  Swallows. 


Sub-Family  Hibundinik^. 

BUI  triangular,  very  short  and  broad,  much  depressed;  the  ridge  much  less  than 
half  the  head;  the  gonys  two-thirds  tliis  lencth;  the  gape  extending  to  below  the 
eye;  primaries  nine;  the  first  longest,  and,  with  the  second,  c  nsiderably  longer 
than  the  others;  the  secondaries  and  tertiak  not  reaching  the  middle  of  the  prima- 
ries; the  secondaries  deeply  emarginate;  wings  very  long,  reaching  beyond  <ha 
commencement  of  the  fork  of  the  tail,  which  is  generally  more  or  less  deep;  tarsi 
ecuiellate,  very  short,  less  than  the  lateral  toes,  the  inner  of  which  is  more  deeply 
cleft  than  the  outer. 

HIEUNDO,  LiNN^us. 

Hirundo,  Uvvxvs,  Syst.  Nat.  (1786).    Gray,  Genera,  I.  (1846). 

Nostrils  basal,  small,  oblong,  and  covered  partly  by  a  membrane;  tail  more  or 
less  forked;  the  outer  lateral  feather  sometimes  greatly  lengthened;  tarsi  shorter 
than  the  middle  toe,  and  scutellated;  tarsi  naked;  toes  long,  Mender,  the  lateral  ones 
unequal;  claws  moderate,  curved,  acute. 

HIKUNDO  HOEEEORUH.— JSnrton. 

yihe  Barn  Swallow.  " 

Hirundo  horreorum,  Barton.    Fragments  N.  H.  Penna.  (1790)  17. 
Eirundo  Americana,  Wilson.    Am.  Cm.,  V.  (1812)  34. 
Hirundo  rutdca,  Audubon.    Cm.  Biog.,  IL  (1834)  418. 

Description. 

Tail  very  deeply  forked;  outer  feathers  several  inches  longer  than  the  inner,  very 
narrow  towards  the  end;  above  glossy-blue,  with  concealed  white  in  the  middle  of 
the  back;  throat  chestnut;  rest  of  lower  part  reddish-white,  not  conspicuously  dif- 
ferent; a  steel-blue  collar  on  the  upper  part  of  the  breast,  interrupted  in  the  middle; 
tail  feathers  with  a  white  spot  near  the  middle,  on  the  inner  web.  Female  with  the 
outer  tail  feather  not  quite  so  long. 

Length,  six  and  ninety  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  five  inches;  tail,  four  and 
fifty  one  hundredths  inches. 

11HIS  beautiful  and  well-known  bird  arrives  in  New 
-  England  from  about  the  10th  of  April  to  the  26th  of 
that  month,  according  to  latitude :  it  is  quickly  dispersed  in 
great  numbers  through  these  States,  and  soon  commences 
mating.    Its  habits  are  so  well  known  that  any  description 


iich  less  than 
to  below  the 
rably  longer 
if  the  prima- 
;  beyond  the 
8  deep;  torsi 
more  deeply 


tail  more  or 
tarsi  shorter 
e  lateral  ones 


be  inner,  very 
the  middle  of 
ipicuously  dif- 
In  the  middle; 
male  trith  the 

tail,  four  and 


}  in  New 
le  25th  of 
ispersed  in 
ommences 
lescription 


THE  BARN  SWALLOW. 


265 


here  is  hardly  needed.  About  the  10th  of  May,  after  the 
birds  have  paired,  they  commence  building;  or  sometimes 
the  same  couple  begin  repairing  the  nest  of  the  preceding 
year  or  years,  as  the  same  nest 
is  occupied  several  seasons.  It  is 
built  in  the  eaves  of  houses  or 
barns,  or  on  rafters  of  barns  and 
other  buildings.  It  is  constructed 
outwardly  of  a  strong  shell  of 
pellets  of  mud,  which  are  plas- 
tered together,  and,  as  Nuttall. 
says,  "tempered  with  fine  hay, 
and  rendered  more  adhesive  by 
the  glutinous  saliva  of  the  bird."  This  nest  is  built  out 
and  up  until  the  top  is  about  horizontal,  and  then  lined  with 
a  layer  of  fine  grass  or  hay,  which  is  covered  with  loose 
feathers.  This  bird  is  fond  of  society,  often  as  many  as 
twenty  nests  being  in  the  same  eaves.  The  eggs  are 
usually  four  in  number,  sometimes  five:  they  are  of  a 
nearly  pure-white  color,  with  a  slight  roseate  tint ;  and  are 
spotted  more  or  less  thickly  with  fine  dots  of  ^  two  shades  of 
brown,  reddish,  and  purplish.  The  dimensions  of  four  eggs, 
collected  in  Upton,  Me.,  are  .76  by  .56  inch,  .70  by  .62 
inch,  .76  by  .52  inch,  .69  by  .58  inch.  The  largest  speci- 
men, in  a  great  number,  is  .78  by  .67  inch ;  the  smallest, 
.67  by  .50  inch.  Two  broods,  and  sometimes  three,  are 
reared  in  the  season.  The  period  of  incubation  is  thirteen 
days. 

About  the  first  week  in  September,  the  old  and  young 
birds  of  different  families  gather  in  immense  flocks ;  and, 
after  remaining  about  the  marshes  near  the  seacoast  for  a 
few  days,  they  leave  for  their  winter  homes. 


I 

! 


*»A3*S>f4E 


»iirrt\'i;i;iivaj^i!^»:rtyfj  I, •'.-'."..  •■i,.;t,tici.TB);i,.i|  II, 


256 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


•  H 


* 


HIBUNDO  LUNIFHORS.— Soy. 

)<  The  Cliff  Swallow;  Bave  Swallow.  - 

Eirundo  Imifrcmt,  Sfly.    Long's  Exped.  B.  Mt».,  II.  (1823)  47. 
Birundo  reymblicana,  Audubon.    Ann.  N.Y.  Lye,  I.  (1824)  164. 
Birundo  ftdva,  Audubon.    Cm.  Biog.,  I.  (1831)  863. 
Bil-undo  melanogatttr,  Swainson.    Philos.  Mag.,  I.  (1827)  866. 
Petrochelidon  melanogattra,  Cabanis.    Mu».  Hein.,  47. 

Descriptiom. 

Crown  and  back  steel-blue;  the  upper  part  of  the  latter  with  concealed  pile 
edges  to  the  feathers;  chin,  throat,  and  sides  of  the  head  dark-chestnut;  breast 
fuKOUs;  belly  white;  a  steel-blue  spot  on  throat;  rump  Uf ht^h«stnnt :  foreb».ad 
brownish-white ;  a  pale  nuchal  band ;  tail  slightly  emarginate.  .,  _        ^ 

Length,  about  five  inches;  wing,  four  and  forty  one-hundredths ;  tad,  two  and 
twenty  one-hundredths. 

fioi.  —  North  America  from  Atlantic  to  Pacific. 

The  Cliff  Swallow  is  very  generally  distributed  as  a  sum- 
mer inhabitant  of  New  England.    It  arrives  from  the  South 
from  about  the  25th  of  April  to  the  1st  of  May.    It  has  all 
the  habits  and  characteristics  of  the  preceding  species,  and 
is  probably  as  well  known  throu^out  New  England  as  that 
bird.  About  the  10th  of  May  (sometimes  earlier,  sometimes 
later,  according  to  latitude),  it  pairs,  and  commences  build- 
ing.   The  nest  is  usually  fixed  beneath  eaves  or  cornices, 
or  other  jutting  portions  of  buildings,  or  on  cliffs,  beneath 
overhanging  portions  of  rock:  it  is  constructed  externally 
of  pellets  of  mud  and  earth,  which  are  gradually  plastered 
together  into  a  large  gourd-shaped  structure ;  the  larger  part 
attached  to  the  building  or  cliff,  and  the  neck  curving  out- 
ward and  downward.    At  the  part  of  the  nest  resembling 
the  neck  of  the  gourd  is  the  entrance.    The  whole  fabric  is 
much  more  brittle  than  the  nest  of  the  Barn  Swallow,  for  the 
reason  that  no  grass  or  hay  is  worked  into  the  mud  to  give 
it  strength.    A  lining  of  fine  grass  and  feathers  is  fixed  in 
this,  and  the  whole  makes  a  very  neat  and  comfortable 
structure.     The  eggs  are  usually  five  in  number.    They 
can  hardly  be  distinguished  from  those  of  the  preceding 


ncealed  piale 
itnut;  breast 
nt;  foreb'tad 

tail,  two  and 


aa  a  sum- 
the  South 
It  has  all 
3cie8,  and 
id  as  that 
lometimes 
ices  build- 
cornices, 
8,  beneath 
externally 
'  plastered 
larger  part 
irving  out- 
•esembling 
le  fabric  is 
ow,  for  the 
ud  to  give 
is  fixed  in 
lomfortable 
jer.    They 
preceding 


THE  WHITE-BELLIED   SWALLOW. 


257 


species ;  and,  in  fact,  identification  is  next  to  impossible. 
In  a  majority  of  the  present  species,  the  spots  are  somewhat 
coarser,  and  the  eggs  are  generally  longer.  Four  eggs, 
collected  in  Dorchester,  Mass.,  are  of  the  average  dimen- 
sions of  .84  by  .64  inch;  other  specimens,  from  various 
localities,  are  about  this  size. 

Like  the  Barn  Swallow,  this  species  gathers  into  large 
flocks  at  the  end  of  the  summer,  and  frequents  the  same 
localities,  but  not  at  the  same  time ;  as  it  leaves  usually  a 
week  or  ten  days  before  the  other  bird.    ' 

HIBnHSO  BICOLOB.  — FieiSot. 

>    The  White-bellied  Svallov;  Blae-baoked  Swallow.-' 

J?inmibUcofor,yieniot  Ois.  Am.  Sept,  L  (1807)  61.  Aud.  Orn.  Biog.  (1881), 
481. 

Descbiptiom. 

Clossy  metallic-green  above;  entirely  white  beneath.  Female  mach  duller  in 
col  It. 

Length,  six  and  twenty-five  one-hmidredths  inches;  wing,  five  uiches;  tail,  two 
»ad  sixty-five  one-hundredths  inches. 

This  very  common  and  well-known  species  is  a  summer 
inhabitant  of  all  New  England;  being  most  abundant  in 
localities  near  sheets  of  water,  and  less  common  in  high, 
dry  districts.  Its  habits  are  well  known ;  and  arriving,  as 
it  does,  early  in  the  season,  and  fraternizing  with  man,  it  is 
a  great  favorite.  It  makes  its  appearance  as  early  as  the 
first  week  in  April,  but  does  not  commence  building  before 
the  middle  of  May.  Near  cities  and  towns,  the  nest  is 
built  in  martin-boxes  provided  for  its  reception:  but,  in 
loss  thickly  settled  districts,  it  is  built  in  holes  in  stumps 
and  trees ;  and  cases  are  on  record  of  its  being  built  in  a 
deserted  nest  of  the  common  Barn  Swallow.  When  passing 
through  the  chain  of  the  Umbagog  lakes,  in  Maine,  I 
observed  great  numbers  of  these  birds  whose  nests  were 
built  in  holes  in  dead  trees  standing  in  the  lake  near  the 
shores.    These  nests  were  so  plenty,  that,  in  the  area  of 

17 


'  v\?«uifewii«aB.fflic«iMW3ji!Mi8'ii^ 


258 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


I 


about  ten  rods  square,  I  counted  over  fifty.    Of  course,  the 
birds  were  in  myriads,  and  the  species  constitutes  the  com- 
mon Swallow  of  the  districts  in  that  latitude.    The  materials 
used  in  the  construction  of  the  nest  are  fine  grasses,  hay, 
and  feathers :  these  are  adjusted  loosely  in  the  cavity  of  the 
tree,  and  without  any  form.    Tlie  eggs  are,  most  commonly, 
five  in  number.     Their  color  is  a  beautiful  clear-white,  with 
a  roseate  tint  before  their  contents  are  removed :  they  are 
extremely  thin  and  fragile,  much  more  so  than  most  of  the 
other  species ;  and  their  form  is  a  slender  oval.    Of  a  great 
number  of  specimens,  collected  in  various  localities,  the 
largest  is  .79  by  .66  inch ;  the  smallest,  .69  by  .61  inch. 
Two  broods  are  generally  reared  in  the  season,  and  the 
period  of  incubation  is  fourteen  days. 

This  species  leaves  New  England  in  the  fall  migration 
about  the  10th  of  September. 

COTYLE,  BoiK. 


Cb«!,/e,  BoiE,  I»i«  (t822),  560.    (Type  IT.  ripario.) 

Bill  very  flat,  extremely  broad  at  the  bade,  and  gradually  narrowed  towards 
the  Up;  nostrils  prominent  and  rounded)  tail  moderate,  nearly  straight,  or  .ome- 
what  emarginated;  tarsi  rather  shorter  than  the  middle  toe,  slender  and  scutellated; 
toes  very  slender,  the  claws  slightly  curved;  colors  generaUy  dull  brown  above, 
without  gloss. 

COTTLE  BIPARIA.— JJoM.     <• 
^  The  Bank  Swallow.  - 

flirumto  rvarfa,  Linn«u«.    Syst  Nat.,  L  (1T66)  844.    Wils.  Am.  Om.,  V.  46. 
Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  IV.  (1888)  B84. 

Cotylt  rvaria,  Boie.    Isis  (1822),  560. 

Desckiftioh. 

The  smaUest  of  American  swallows;  tail  slightly  emarginate;  outer  web  of  first 

primary  soft,  without  hooks;  lower  part  of  the  tarsus  with  a  few  scattered  feathers; 

above  grayish-brown,  somewhat  fUiginous,  with  a  tendency  to  paler  margins  to  the 

feathers;  beneath  pure-white,  with  a  band  across  the  breast  and  sides  of  the  body 

like  the  back.  ^  ,   ,^ 

Length,  four  and  seventy-five  one-hundredths  inches;  wmg,  four;  tan,  two 

inches. 


i-^iiSii^ia^^^S^^kU^e> 


^?l^k^M:>^^^^^^  ^i^5£sS!^ri 


iirse,  the 
;ho  cora- 
naterials 
ses,  hay, 
ty  of  the 
mmoiily, 
lite,  with 
they  are 
st  of  the 
)f  a  great 
ities,  the 
.61  inch. 
,  and  the 

migration 


awed  towards 
ght,  or  Bome- 
id  scutellated; 
brotm  above, 


n.  Om.,  V.  46. 


ter  web  of  first 
tered  feathers; 
margins  to  the 
es  of  the  bodj- 

four;  tail,  two 


THE   BANK   BWALLOW. 


259 


Unlike  all  our  other  swallows,  this  species  avoids  the 
neighborhood  of  man  in  selecting  its  bi'ccding-place  ;  and  it 
is  abundant  only  in  the  neighborhood  of  streams  or  other 
sheets  of  water.  It  is  distributed,  as  a  summer  resident, 
in  all  the  New-England  States,  and  in  many  localities  is 
very  abundant.  It  arrives  the  first  week  in  May,  often 
earlier  ;  and  soon  pairs,  and  commences  building,  or  rather 
excavating,  for  the  nest.  The  excavations  are  made  in 
sand-banks,  in  the  same  manner  as  those  of  the  Kingfisher, 
and  are  often  three  or  four  feet  in  depth,  usually  about 
eighteen  inches.  At  the  end  of  this  burrow,  which  is 
widened  and  enlarged,  is  placed  the  nest,  composed  of 
dried  grasses,  hay,  feathers,  and  other  like  soft  materials. 
The  birds  are  sociable  hi  their  habits,  as  are  all  the  other 
species ;  and  often  as  many  as  twenty  and  thirty  holes 
may  be  seen  in  the  same  bank.  The  number  of  eggs  is 
either  five  or  four.  These  are  of  a  pure-white  color,  and 
vary  but  little  in  size  or  shape ;  the  latter  being  almost 
always  oval,  and  the  size  ranging  from  .72  by  .62  inch  to 
.68  by  .49  inch.  Usually  two  broods  are  reared  in  the 
season,  but  often  only  one. 

In  habits,  this  bird  resembles  the  other  swallows,  but  is 
not  so  quarrelsome  as  they,  and  I  never  noticed  two  of  this 
species  fighting :  its  note  is  not,  like  theirs,  shrill  and  oft 
repeated,  but  is  only  a  seldom-uttered  lisping  chatter.  It 
leaves  New  England  by  the  last  week  in  August. 

PROGNE,  BoiK. 

Progne,  BlOE,  Isis  (1828),  Ml.  (Type  Hinmdo  purpurea,  L.) 
Bill,  strong,  short;  the  gape  veiy  wide;  the  sides  gradually  compressed,  the 
culmen  and  lateral  margins  arched  to  the  tip,  the  latter  inflected;  the  nostrils 
basal,  lateral,  open,  and  rounded;  tail  considerably  forked;  tarsi  shorter  than  the 
middle  toe  and  claw,  about  equal  to  the  toe  alone;  toes  long,  strong;  lateral  ones 
equal. 

The  large  size,  very  stout  bill  and  feet  (for  this  fiimily),  with  the  usually  uni- 
form  black  glossy  plumage,  readily  distinguish  this  genus  among  the  swallows. 
But  one  species  is  well  established  as  North  American. 


I 


OBNITHOLOOY   AND  OOLOGY. 

rioon  puspusea.— bo**- 

Ih«  Purple  Martin.  - 
Ti  a^t   N»L    1.  (1786)844.    Aud.  Cm.  Biog.,  L 

^*'5wsIi|««7««''.BoU.    Wi  (1826),  971. 

Dmcbiptioh. 

deeply  fbrkedUil,Ur.i  and  .o..n.k.d^^^^^^^^^  .^^^7^^  ^^^  ^, 

.teel-Uu..,  with  purple  «-»  ''^'^'/HSed  with  darker  or  with  blui.h. 

one-huXdth.,  tail.  thr,>e  and  forty  one-hundredth.  Inche.. 

The  Purple  Martin  \b  the  least  abundant  of  all  our 
Swallows,  and,  indeed,  in  some  localities  is  quite  rare. 
?t  S  from  the  South  about  the  first  week  in  May 
and  is  distributed  in  single  pairs  through  all  New  Eng- 

'"^The  description,  by  Wilson,  of  the  habits  of  the  bird,  ^ 
BO  well  written  that  1  present  quite  a  liberal  extract  from  it. 
He  says, — 

-The  .ammer  reside.ce  of  thU  .«re»ble  bW  U  mivemlly 

Ucta.  ..a  denving  c.n«de™bl.  »i-.^  »  weH  »^^ 

rrrr.!:f.r.'rix-"te:& 

Zropri^ed  to  the  Blue-bird,  or,  if  all  these  be  wanting,  in  the 
appropriaiea  "»  "»  ^    j    ^  jjg  Bometimes 

dove-house  among  the  pigeons.  In  tms  lasi  u«», 
Sles  possession  of  one  quarter  or  tier  of  the  premises,  m  which 
^t  a  ^geoa  dare  for  a  moment  set  iU  foot  Some  peop  e  have 
°C  co-niences  formed  for  the  Martins,  ^'^^J^^^^^ZZ 
Z^..h  are  usually  full  tenanted,  and  occupied  regularly  every 
:S  "Id Tnlh  places,  particular  indlvidu^s  have  been  no.d 
to  refum  to  the  same  box  for  several  successive  years.  Even  J^ 
«,litary  Indian  seems  to  have  a  particular  respect  for  this  bird. 


TBB  PURPLE  MARTIN. 


261 


1.  Biog.,  L 


Br  than  tha 
rhere  gloMf 
«  male  !«8S 
bluish. 
I.  eighty-five 


r  all  our 

lite  rare. 

in  May, 

(few  Eng- 

le  bird,  is 
ct  from  it. 

universally 
irest  in  his 
1  as  amnse- 
i  protector, 
fitted  up  for 
le  projecting 
in  the  box 
iting,  in  the 
e  sometimes 
ses,  in  which 
,  people  have 
r  apartments, 
ularly  every 
e  been  noted 
).    Even  the 
for  this  bird. 


The  Choctaws  and  ChickoAaws  cut  off  all  the  top  branches  from  a 
•apling  near  tli<jir  cabins,  leaving  the  prongs  a  foot  or  two  in 
length,  on  each  of  which  they  hang  a  gourd  or  calabash,  properly 
hollowed  out,  for  their  convenience.  On  the  banks  of  the  Missis- 
sippi,  the  negroes  stick  up  long  canes,  with  the  same  species  of 
apartment  fixed  to  their  tops,  in  which  the  Martins  regularly 
breed.  Wherever  I  have  travelled  in  this  country,  I  have 
seen  with  pleasure  the  hospitality  of  the  inhabitants  to  this  favor- 
ite bird. 

"  About  the  middle  or  20th  of  April,  the  Martins  first  begin  to 
prepare  their  nest.  The  last  of  these  which  I  examined  was 
formed  of  dry  leaves  of  the  weeping  willow,  slender  straws,  hay, 
and  feathers  in  considerable  quantity.  The  eggs  were  four,  very 
sniall  for  the  size  of  the  bird,  and  pure-white,  without  any  spots. 
The  fii-st  brood  appears  in  May,  the  second  late  in  July.  During 
the  period  in  which  the  female  is  laying,  and  before  she  commences 
incubation,  they  are  both  from  home  the  greater  part  of  the  day. 
When  the  female  is  sitting,  she  is  frequently  visited  by  the  male, 
who  also  occupies  her  place  while  she  takes  a  short  recreation 
abroad.  He  also  often  passes  a  quarter  of  an  hour  in  the  apart- 
ment beside  her,  and  has  become  quite  domesticated  since  her  con- 
finement. He  sits  on  the  outside,  dressing  and  arranging  his 
plumage,  occasionally  passing  to  the  door  of  the  apartment,  as  if 
to  inquire  how  she  does.  His  notes,  at  this  time,  seem  to  have 
assumed  a  peculiar  softness ;  and  hu  gratulations  ai-e  expressive  of 
much  tenderness.  Conjugal  fidelity,  even  where  there  is  a  num- 
ber together,  seems  to  be  faithfully  preserved  by  these  hi  "(Is.  Ou 
the  25th  of  May,  a  male  and  female  Martin  took  possession  of  a 
box  in  Mr.  Bartram's  garden.  A  day  or  two  after,  a  second 
female  made  her  appearance,  and  stayed  for  several  days ;  but  from 
the  cold  reception  she  met  with,  being  frequently  beat  off  by  the 
male,  she  finally  abandoned  the  place,  and  set  off,  no  doubt,  to  seek 
for  a  more  sociable  companion. 

"  The  Purple  Martin,  like  his  half-cousin  the  King-bird,  is  the 
terror  of  crows,  hawks,  and  eagles.  These  he  attacks  whenever 
they  make  their  appearance,  and  with  such  vigor  and  rapidity  that 
they  instantly  have  recourse  to  flight.  So  well  known  is  this  to 
tfaie  lesser  birds,  and  to  the  domestic  poultry,  that,  as  soon  ea  they 


^ 


■  :'-Ahm 


Bf )>P*iWnoiMCTT6?KRiWS«ii  E»iW 


MS 


OnNITHOLOQY   AND  OOLOGY. 


hear  the  Martin's  voice  engaged  in  fight,  all  is  alarm  and  conster- 
nation.  To  observe  with  what  spirit  and  audacity  this  bird  dives 
and  sweeps  upon  and  around  the  Hawk  or  the  Eagle  «  astonish- 
ing  He  also  bestows  an  occasional  bastinading  on  the  King-bird 
when  he  finds  him  too  near  his  promises;  though  he  wdl,  at  any 
time,   instantly  co-operate  with   him    in   atUcking   the  common 

*"^"The  Martin  differs  from  all  the  rest  of  our  Swallows  In  the 
particular  prey  which  he  selecU.  Wasps,  bees,  large  beetles,  par- 
ticularly  those  called  by  the  boys  gold,mith,,  seem  his  favorn^ 
eame  I  have  taken  four  of  these  large  beetles  from  the  stomach 
of  a   Purple   Martin,   each  of  which  seemed  entire,  and  even 

unbruised.  t.^^.., 

"The  flight  of  the  Purple  Martin  unites  m  it  oil  the  swiftness, 
ease,  rapidity  of  turning,  and  gracefulness  of  motion  of  its  tribe. 
Like  the  Swift  of  Europe,  he  sails  much  with  little  action  of  the 
wings  He  passes  through  the  most  crowded  parte  of  our  streete, 
eluding  the  passengers  with  the  quickness  of  thought ;  or  plays 
among  the  clouds,  gliding  about  at  a  vast  height,  like  an  aerial 
being  His  usual  note,  |>e«o,  peuo,  peuo,  is  loud  and  musical; 
but  U  frequently  succeeded  by  otb.irs  more  low  and  guttural. 
Soon  after  the  20th  of  August,  he  leaves  Pennsylvania  for  the 
South." 

In  New  England,  this  species  begins  to  prepare  its  nest 
about  the  20th  of  May:  this  is  composed  of  dried  grasses, 
leaves,  and  feathers,  and  is  deposited  usually  in  a  box  pre- 
pared  for  this  purpose.  The  eggs  are  from  four  to  six  m 
number,  of  a  pure-white  color,  and  vary  but  little  m  form 
from  exactly  oval.  Four  specimens,  collected  in  Connecti- 
cut, exhibit  the  following  measurements:  1.04  by  .70  mch, 
1  by  .70  inch,  1  by  .68  inch,  .97  by  .68  inch.  Other  speci- 
mens vary  but  little  from  these  dimensions.  Two  broods 
are  often  reared  in  the  season,  and  the  period  of  incubation 

is  fourteen  days.  • 

In  dismissing  this  family,  it  is  hardly  necessary,  at  this 
late  day,  to  say  a  word  in  favor  of  their  beneficial  habits ; 


J^iU 


iiii 


iiiiil 


iHiiii 


THE   PURPLE  MARTIN. 


268 


conBter- 
rd  dives 
agtoiUHh- 
[ing-bird 
11,  at  any 
comnioD 

(vs  ill  the 
ties,  par- 
favoriCio 
)  gtomach 
ind  even 

gwiftness, 

its  tribe. 

on  of  the 

ir  streets, 

or  plays 

an  aerial 

musical ; 

guttural. 

ia  for  the 


)  its  nest 
[  grasses, 

box  pre- 
■  to  six  in 
)  in  form 
Connecti- 

.70  inch, 
her  speci- 
vo  broods 
incubation 


for  every  farmer  has  recognized  them,  and  encouraged 
the  presence  of  the  bir<U,  and  prntnctod  thnm  for  ynarw ; 
but  tlio  immense  amount  of  injurious  and  noxious  insects 
they  destroy  is  astonishing,  and  liardly  realized ;  amount- 
ing probably  to  several  hundreds  by  every  bird  in  the 
dajr. 


ry,  at  this 
ial  habits ; 


264 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


Family  BOMBYCILLID^.    Thb  Chatterers. 

Primarie.  ten.  the  fi«t  very  short  or  moderate,  alway.  les.  '"' t^th'eTe.' 
bill  short,  broad,  triangular,  much  depressed;  gape  opening  nearly  to  the  eyes, 
tw  ce  thVlength  of  the  culmen,  both  mandibles  notched,  the  upper  -th  a  t^th 
behind  the  noSh,  tarsi  scuteUate  anteriorly,  with  indication.  "'^^  ^^J"^'''^ 
on  the  sides  (except  in  MyMuU^I),  shorter  chan  the  middle  toe;  outei  lateral  toe 
longest;  toes  unequally  deft;  head  generaUy  crested. 

Svb-Family  Bombtoii-linjs.  —  TAa  Wax  Wingt. 

AMPELIS,  Li«K.«D8. 

Amodii  LiNn^s,  Syst.  Nat  (1786).    (Type  A.  garrtdui.) 
nS^^th™  broad,  depressed  crest;  biU  veor  broad,  opening  nearly  to  the  .ye; 
a  seriL  of^U  vdv^y  feather,  at  the  base  of  the  bill,  with  bristles  d.rec  ed  for- 
wrand  covering  the  nostril.,  but  none  along  the  rictus;  commissure  straight 
Tut  n  Id  gonys  furved,  convei;  both  mandibles  notched  at  tip,  legs  stout-^^ 
^ho^rtTan  the  middle  t«e,  scuteUate  anteriorly,  and  slightly  on  the   oyer  hatf  on 
Sei  behind,  slightly  feathered  above;  hind  toe  f  «*«'*- J^^.^^^^^^ 
««  Mual-  wines  very  long,  pou»ted,  reaching  almost  to  the  tip  of  the  nearly  even 
L7l    tot  primary  7o  shorl^u.  to  be  with  difficulty  discemibh,  the  second  qudl 
kn;«t"  ti  jr^f  se'condarr  quUls  with  homy  appendages,  like  ««lmg-w«x. 

AMPELIS  GABEULUS.— iwnawi. 
The  Wax-wing;  Bobamian  Chatterer. 

'i Lanitu garrului,Unn»u».    Fauna  Suecica, IL  No.  Si." 
Ampdis  garrulM»,  Linnaius.    Syst.  Nat,  L  (1786)  297. 
Bmb^dita  garrvla.    Aud.  Cm.  Biog.,  IV.  (1838)  462. 

Descbiptiom. 

HiKhly  crested;  general  color  brownish-ash,  with  a  faint  shade  of  i«ldish, 
esnecidly  anteriorly;  the  forehead,  sides  of  the  head,  and  under  tail  covert,,  broxm- 
XSe;  the  hinder  parts  purer  ash,  tte  region  about  the  vent  white;  primaries 
J^SSLtters  plumLus  black,  especially  toward,  the  tips;  the  tad  with  a  ter- 
™^nrih.nd  of  yeUow;  a  narrow  itontal  Une  passing  backward  and  mvolvmg  the 
^e  and  e-t«S  r^ve  and  behind  it,  chin  «.d  upper  part  of  throat  black;  tip. 
rCsecondary  coverts,  and  a  spot  on  the  end  of  tiie  outer  web.  of  all  Ae  quill^ 
whi?e;  ftose  oITthe  innei  primaries  glossed  with  yellow,  «K=ondarie8W.th  red, homy 
tins  like  waling-wax;  side  of  tiielowr  jaw  whitirii.  ,  j,^        v. 

Un^seven  and  forty  oneJiundredth.  inches,  wing,  four  and  fifty  oneiun- 
dredth.  inches;  Uil,  three  inches. 


TEE  CEDAR-BIRD. 


265 


as. 

'  the  second; 
to  the  eyes, 
with  a  tooth 
lies  inferiorly 
it  lateral  toe 


r». 


This  ipeoies,  with  the  general  appearance  of  the  Cedar-bird,  i»  readily  distin- 
guished by  its  superiur  size,  much  larger  crest,  black  chiu  and  throat,  instead  of 
chin  alone,  brownish-chestnut  under  tail  coverts,  instead  of  white,  and  the  white 
marks  on  the  wing  not  found  at  all  in  the  other.  In  the  closed  wing,  the  white  on 
the  ends  of  the  primaries  forms  a  continuous  narrow  ttrip«  nearly  parallel  with  the 
outer  edge  of  the  wing. 

THIS  bird  is  an  extreirely  rare  ■winter  visitor  in  New 
England,  appearing  only  in  severe  seasons.  It  is  seen 
in  small  flocks  of  perhaps  six  or  eight  individuals,  usually 
in  groves  of  cedars  or  Virginia  junipers,  where  it  feeds  on 
the  small  blue  berries  or  seeds  that  are  found  on  those  trees. 
This  species  breeds  in  the  most  northern  portions  of  the 
continent. 


f  to  the  eye; 
!  directed  for- 
isure  stnught; 
p  stout;  tarsi 
tower  half  on 
lateral,  which 
e  nearly  oven 
I  second  quill 
wax. 


de  of  reddish, 
covert*,  bro»Tn- 
hite;  primaries 
tail  with  a  ter- 
l  involving  the 
mat  black;  tips 
I  all  the  quills, 
with  red,  horny 

1  fifty  on»-hun- 


AHPEUS  OEDBOBUH.  — £atrd 

)(Tha  Cedar-bird;  Cherry-bird.— 

Ampelit  garruliu,  Linnaeus.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1766)  297. 

BombycUla  CaroUnemU,  Audubon.    Om.  Biog.,  I.  (1881)  227;  V.  494. 

Ampelit  ArMricana,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  I.  (1808)  107. 

DESCRrmoM. 

Head  crested ;  general  color  reddish-olive,  passing  anteriorly  on  the  neck,  bead, 
and  breast  into  purplish-cinnamon,  posteriorly  on  the  upper  parts  into  ash,  on  the 
lower  into  yellow;  under  tail  coverts  white;  chin  dark  sooty-black,  fading  insensibly 
into  the  ground-color  on  tb>!  throat;  forehead,  loral  region,  space  below  the  eye,  and 
a  line  above  it  on  the  side  of  the  head,  intense  black ;  quills  and  tail  dark-plumbeous, 
passing  behind  into  dusky;  the  tail  tipped  with  yellow;  the  primaries,  except  the 
first,  margined  with  hoary;  a  short  maxillary  stripe,  a  narrow  crescent  on  the  infero- 
posterior  quarter  of  the  eye,  white ;  secondaries  with  homy  tips,  like  red  sealing-wax. 

Length,  seven  and  twenty-five  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  four  and  five  one- 
hundredths;  tail,  two  and  sixty  one-hundredths  inches. 

Bab, — North  America  generally,  south  to  Guatemala. 

This  very  common  and  well-known  bird  is  a  summer 
inhabitant  of  all  New  England.  It  remains  in  the  southern 
districts  through  the  winter,  but  usually  arrives,  in  flocks 
of  twenty  or  thirty,  as  early  as  the  first  or  second  week 
in  March.  About  the  middle  of  May,  these  flocks  are 
divided  into  smaller  ones,  and  these  soon  into  pairs, 
which  commence  building  about  the  second  week  in  June. 
The  nest  is  placed  in  the  midst  of  twigs  on  a  horizontal 


S66 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND   OOLOGY. 


branch,  generally  of  a  tree  in  the  orchard ;  sometimes  in  a 
cedar  or  other  tree  in  a  pasture  or  wood.  It  is  con- 
structed of  stalks  of  weeds,  long  fine  roots,  grass,  grape- 
vine bark,  and  leaves :  it  is 
deeply  hollowed,  and  lined  with 
fine  roots,  horsehairs,  and  fine 
grass.  One  specimen  in  my  col- 
lection is  partly  composed  of 
strips  of  twine  and  thread, 
which  are  woven  together  in  a 
very  neat  and  compact  man- 
ner, and  interlaced  with  nu- 
merous fine  roots  and  weeds. 
The  eggs  are  usually  four  or 
five  in  number:  they  are  laid 
about  the  twentieth  of  June, 
,  -     .    ;,  ^    ..^  and  a  second  litter  often  in  Au- 

Lowerflg.,Cedar-bIrd.  _ 

Upper  flg.,  Bed-oyed  vireo.  gust.   They  arc  of  a  ligli  t-bluish 

or  clay-white  color,  with  a  slight  purple  tint,  and  are  marked, 
more  or  less  thickly,  with  distinct  spots  of  black,  and  more 
obscure  spots  of  purplish-brown:  the  appearance  of  these 
latter  spots  is  as  if  they  were  "beneath  the  surface  of 
the  shell."  Dimensions  of  five  eggs  collected  in  Now 
Hampshire:  .86  by  .64  inch,  .86  by  .63  inch,  .86  by  .60 
inch,  .80  by  .62  inch,  .80  by  .60  inch.  A  great  number  of 
specimens  from  difierent  localities  do  not  exhibit  any  great 
variations  from  tliese  measurements. 

There  is  a  great  deal  of  ill  feeling  manifested  towards 
this  well-known  bird  by  the  farmers,  on  account  of  its  occa- 
sionally helping  itself  to  a  few  cherries  or  other  small  fruits. 
Its  valuable  services  in  the  orchard  and  nursery  seem  to  be 
overlooked,  and  its  life  is  often  forfeited  for  this  little  weak- 
ness. But  if  the  farmer  will  observe  it  in  its  insect-destroy- 
ing labors,  watch  it  as  it  devours  caterpillar  after  caterpillar, 
or  draws  from  its  lurking-place  the  larva  of  some  ii\jurious 
insect,  he  will  come  to  the  conclusion,  as  many  have  already 


THE   CEDABrBIRD. 


26T 


done,  that  this  bird  is  worthy  his  protection,  instead  of 
deserving  his  anger. 
Says  Nuttall,  in  speaking  of  this  fact,  — 

"At  this  spason  (April),  to  repay  the  gardener  for  the  tithe 
of  his  crop,  their  natural  due,  they  fail  not  to  assist  in  ridding  his 
trees  of  more  deadly  enemies  which  infest  them,  and  the  small 
caterpillars,  beetles,  and  various  insects  now  constitute  their  only 
food ;  and  for  hours  at  a  time  they  may  be  seen  feeding  on  the  all- 
despoiling  canker-worms,  which  infest  our  apple-trees  and  elms. 
On  these  occasions,  silent  and  sedate,  after  plentifully  feeding,  they 
sit  dressing  their  feathers,  in  near  contact  on  the  same  branch,  to 
the  number  of  five  or  six ;  and,  as  the  season  of  selective  attach- 
ment approaches,  they  may  be  observed  pluming  each  other,  and 
caressing  with  the  most  gentle  fondness.  This  friendly  trait  is 
carried  so  far,  that  an  eye-witness  assures  me  he  has  seen  one 
among  a  row  of  these  birds  seated  upon  a  branch  dart  after  an 
insect,  and  offer  it  to  his  associate  when  caught,  who  very  disin- 
terestedly passed  it  to  the  next ;  and,  each  delicately  declining  the 
offer,  the  morsel  has  proceeded  backwards  and  forwards  before  it 
was  appropriated." 

The  note  of  the  Cedar-bird,  like  that  of  the  Wax-wing,  is 
a  feeble,  plauitive  tw^e,  twSe,  uttered  often,  and  by  both 
sexes. 


i:"j«" 


nwiimi    iiii—nwwwi^"''"'^ 


968 


OBNITHOLOQY  AND  OOLOGY. 


Familt  LANHDiE. 

BiU  strong  and  comprcsed,  the  tip  abruptly  hooked;  both  mandibles  distinctly 
notched,  the  upper  with  a  disUnct  tooth  behind,  the  lower  with  the  poh,t  bent  up, 
tarsi  longer  than  the  middle  toe,  strongly  scutellate;  primanes  ten,  first  primary 
half  the  second,  or  shorter  (occasionally  wanting). 

The  sub-families  of  Laniidm  belonging  to  the  United  States  are  as  follows  :- 

LA«i.j.A-BiU  Tery  powerful,  much  compressed,  and  abruptly  hooked,  w.  h  a 
very  proriinent  tooth  behind  the  notch;  wings  considerably  rounded;  t«l  tather 
longandgraduated;  sides  of  the  tarsi  scutellate  behind.  ,      .       ,        ,., 

ViEKOWN  A  -  Bill  moderate,  cylindrical,  somewhat  compressed ;  wings  If  "B- ^e 
first  primary  sometimes  wanUng;  taU  short  and  nearly  even;  sides  of  the  tarsi  behmd 
not  sctttellate. 

Sub-Family  Jj^virsM.— The  Shrikes. 

COLLYRIO,  MoEHBiMO.  • 

CoUyrio,  MoEHBCfO,  Genera  Avium  (1762),  28.    (Type  Laniu$  excubitor,  L.) 

Laniui,  of  Authors. 

Feathers  of  forehead  stiffened;  base  of  bill,  Induding  nostrils,  covered  by  bristly 
feathers  directed  forward;  bill  shorter  than  the  head,  much  compressed,  and  very 
powerful;  culmen  decurved  ftom  base,  the  mandible  abruptly  bent  down  in  a  power- 
Z  hook,  what  in  acute  lobe  near  the  tip;  tip  of  lower  mandible  bent  »P^««l8  in  a 
hook,  the  gonys  very  convex;  rictus  with  long  bristles;  legs  stout;  Uie  b«.  a« 
rathe  shorL  longer  than  the  middle  toe;  the  lateral  equal ;  the  claws  all  ^ryAarp 
a^d  much  curveTwings  rounded ,  the  first  primary  about  hrff  the  second,  which  is 
equal  to  the  sixth  or  seventh;  taU  longer  than  the  wings,  much  graduated,  the 
feathers  broad. 

COILYBIO  BOSfflALIS.— BoirA 

The  Great  N,r*lj9rB  Shrike;  Buteher-birf. 

I<mlw  septefKnonoiw,  Bonaparte.     Syn.  (1828),  72.     Bon.  List  (1888).    Nutt 
Man.,  L  (1882)  258. 

Xam«s6orea/u,  Audubon.    Syn.  (m9),  167.  ^        „„„,,,„ 

LanUuexcMlor,    Wils.,  L  (1808)  74.    And.  Cm.  Biog.,  H.  (1884)  634. 

DEBOBIFTtOH. 

Above  light  bluish-ash,  obscurely  soiled  with  reddish-brown;  forehead,  sides  of 
the  crown,  scapulars,  and  upi«r  tail  coverts  hoao-vhite;  beneath  white  the  Wt 
with  fine  transverse  lines;  wings  and  tail  black,  the  former  with  a  white  patch  at 
base  of  primaries  and  tip.  of  small  quills,  the  latter  with  the  lateral  feathers  t.pped 
with  white;  biU  bUckish-brown,  considerably  lighwr  at  the  base;  b'**  "t^P^^fr"™ 
the  bill  through  and  behind  tlie  eye,  but  beneath  the  latter  interrupted  by  a  whitah 
erescent    Female  and  young  with  the  gray  soiled  with  brownish. 


Ubies  distinctly 
point  bent  up; 
t;  first  primary 

s  follows:  — 
hooked,  with  a 
iod;  tail  tatber 

wings  long,  the 
the  tarsi  behind 


rcu&ttor,  L.) 

ivered  by  bristly 
essed,  and  very 
iown  in  a  pow6r- 
Qt  upwards  in  a 
It;  the  torsi  ar« 
Ts  all  very  sharp 
second.  Which  is 
}  graduated,  the 


It  (1888).     Nutt 


34)  634. 


brehead,  sides  of 
white,  the  breast 
a  white  patch  at 
si  feathers  tipped 
black  stripe  ftom 
pted  by  a  whitish 


F 


't 


Gkeat  Northern  Shrike,  Butcher-bird,  CuUyrio  borealix.     Jiainl. 


i«»«wiiw»«"«'iniim..i'iiiiiii 


THE  GREAT  NORTHERN  SHRIKE. 


269 


Ungth,  nine  and  eighty-flve  one-hundredth,  inche.;  wing.,  foar  and  fifty  one- 
hundredth,  inche.i  Uil,  four  and  eighty  one-hundredth,  inches;  iu  graduation, 
ninety  one-hundredth,  inche*. 

THIS  spocios,  although  not  uncommon  as  a  winter  visitor 
in  Now  England,  is  seldom  seen  here  during  the  sum- 
mer months ;  and  I  think  that  it  very  rarely  breeds  in  these 
States,  and  then  only  in  the  most  northern  and  retired 

sections.  ,    .    rw  ^  u 

It  makes  its  appearance  about  the  last  week  m  October, 
and  is  seen  until  the  last  week  inApril.  During  this  period, 
it  preys  upon  small  birds,  mice,  and  such  insects  and  larvae 
as  it  finds  in  exposed  situations,  such  as  fences,  piles  of 

stones,  &c. 

In  watching  for  its  prey,  it  usually      nains  perched  on  a 
stake  or  small  tree,  in  a  field  or  meado     carefully  scanning 
the  surrounding  neighborhood.     When  a  mouse  or  other 
small  mammal  presents  itself  in  the  grass,  the  bird  folds 
its  wings,  drops  on  it  with  an  unerring  aim,  and  seizes  it 
with  its  bill.    If  a  flock  of  small  birds,  such  as  Pine-finches 
or  Red-polls,  appear  in  sight,  he  immediately  pursues  them, 
and  generally  secures  one  or  two  before  they  are  dispersed. 
I  have  seen  an  individual  dart  into  a  flock  of  Tree  Sparrows, 
and  kill  three  of  them  before  they  could  escape ;  and  it 
seems  a  characteristic  of  this  bird  to  secure  more  than 
enough  food  for  its  present  wants.    Its  habit  of  suspending 
small  birds,  mice,  and  insects  on  thorns  and  small  twigs, 
is  well  known.    This  is  done,  I  am  inclined  to  think,  not 
because,  as  many  writers  assert,  that  it  will  not  eat  its  food 
when  freshly  killed,  and  it  thus  suspends  it  in  order  that 
it  may  become  tainted,  but  rather  to  have  this  food  stored 
for  future  need.    We  see  many  other  birds  with  this  same 
habit  of  providing  for  future  wants;  particularly  the  Blue 
Jay,  and  some  of  the  Woodpeckers. 

I  have  never  met  with  the  nest  of  this  species,  and  wiU 
borrow  the  description  by  Audubon :  — 

"About  the  20th  of  April,  the  male  and  his  mate  are  seen 


Ik 


270 


ORNITHOLOOT  AND  00U1GY. 


engaged  id  building  their  nest  in  the  covered  and  secluded  parts  of 
the  foreatfl.  I  found  several  of  their  ne8t«  placed  on  bushes  not 
above  ten  feet  from  the  ground,  without  any  appearance  of  choice 
as  to  the  tree,  but  generally  towards  the  top,  and  placed  in  a  fork. 
The  nest  is  as  largo  as  that  of  the  Robin,  and  is  compoEed  exter- 
nally of  coarse  grasses,  leaves,  and  moss ;  internally  of  fibrous  roots, 
over  which  is  a  bed  of  the  feathers  of  the  wild  turkey  and  pheas- 
ant {Tetrao  umbeUtu)" 

Nuttall,  in  describing  the  nost,  says  that  it  is  "  large  and 
compact,  in  the  fork  of  a  small  tree,  and  sometimes  in  an 
apple-tree,  composed  externally  of  dried  grass,  with  whitish 
moss,  and  well  lined  with  feathers." 

The  eggs  are  from  four  to  six  in  number,  of  a  dirty  lead- 
colored  white,  and  marked  more  or  less  thickly,  around  the 
greater  end,  with  dashes  and  spots  of  brown  of  different 
shades.  Dimensions  of  four  eggs:'  1.12  by  .80  inch,  1.12 
by  .78  inch,  1.08  by  .78  inch,  1.04  by  .77  inch. 


Svh-Famxly  Vireonin^.  —  The   Vxreoi. 

VIREO,  VlElLM)T. 

Vireo,  Vikiixot,  Oi».  Am.  Sept.,  I.  (1807)  88.  (Type  Muieicapa  NitveboracetuU, 
bin.) 

Bill  short,  strong,  straight;  the  culmen  slightly  cnrred,  the  sides  much  compressed 
to  the  tip,  which  is  rapidly  curved  and  deflected ;  the  gonys  long  and  ascending ;  the 
gape  with  short,  weak  bristles;  the  nostrils  basal,  rounded,  and  exposed,  the  feathers 
of  the  head  advancing  forward  on  the  bill  to  the  nostril;  wings  variable,  rather  long, 
and  pointed;  the  first  quill  sometimes  spurious,  the  larger  outer  one  always  gradu- 
ated a  little;  tail  nearly  even  and  rather  short;  tarsi  longer  than  the  middle  toe; 
outer  toe  a  little  longer  than  the  inner;  hind  toe  rather  shorter  than  the  middle  one. 

TIBEO  OLITACEnS.— FietOiX. 
•  )(  The  Bed-eyed  Tireo. " 

Mvtekapa  oKvaeea,  Linnaeus.  Syst  Nat,  I.  (1766)  837.  Wila.  Am.  Om.,  IL 
(1810)  65.  , 

Fireo  oUvaceut,  Nuttall.  Man.,  I.  (1882)  812.  Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  11.  (1884)  287: 
V.  180. 


t 


Ite 


THE  HED-ETED  VIREO. 


271 


pd  parts  of 
bushes  not 
;e  of  choice 
d  in  a  fork, 
weed  exter- 
brous  roots, 
and  pheas- 

'  large  and 
mcs  in.  an 
ith  whitish 

dirty  Icad- 

iround  the 

»f  different 

inch,  1.12 


IfoveboraeetuU, 

uch  cotnpressed 
ascending;  the 
led,  the  feathers 
t>le,  rather  long, 
I  always  gradu* 
lie  middle  toe; 
the  middle  ons. 


.  Am.  Om.,  IL 

,  n.  (1884)  287; 


DKscBimow. 

Second  and  third  quilli  about  equal,  and  longest;  first  a  little  shorter  than  the 
lourth,  but  connlderably  longer  than  the  tlfth;  back,  rump,  and  edges  of  wing  and 
tail  feathers  bright  olivaceous-green;  side  of  hond  and  nock  piiler;  crown  dark-ash, 
sharply  deflncd;  a  well-defined  whitish  line  from  the  bill,  over  tlie  eye,  nearly  to  the 
occiput;  a  dark  line  separating  it  above  from  the  ashy  crown;  a  dusky  line  through 
the  eye;  beneath  white;  under  tall  coverts  pale  sulphur-yellow ;  iris,  red. 

Length,  about  six  and  fifty  one-hundredths  Inches;  wing,  three  and  flay  on»> 
hundrrdthi. 

I  feel  that  no  description  of  mine  can  begin  to  do  justice 
to  the  genial,  happy,  industrious  disposition  of  this  one  of 
our  most  common,  and  perhaps  best-loved  birds.  From  the 
time  of  its  arrival,  about  the  first  week  in  May,  until  its 
departure,  about  the  first  week  in  October,  it  is  seen  in  the 
foliage  of  elms  and  other  shade-trees  in  the  midst  of  our 
cities  and  villages,  in  the  apple-trees  near  the  farm-houses, 
and  in  the  tall  oaks  and  chestnuts  in  the  doop  forest^. 
Everywhere  in  these  States,  at  all  hours  of  the  day,  from 
early  dawn  until  evening  twilight,  his  sweet,  half-plaintive, 
half-meditative  carol  is  heard.  I  know  that  I  am  not  singu- 
lar in  my  preference,  when  I  say,  that,  of  all  my  feathered 
acquaintances,  this  is  the  greatest  favorite  I  have.  I  always 
loved  it ;  and  I  can  never  look  upon  one,  after  it  is  killed, 
no  matter  how  naturally  it  is  preserved,  without  a  sad  feel- 
ing, as  if  it  wore  one  of  my  own  most  dear  friends  dead 
before  me. 

The  Red-eyed  Yireo  is  one  of  the  most  industrious  of 
our  birds.  Whenever  we  see  him,  we  notice  that  he  is 
busily  searching  in  the  foliage  of  trees  for  caterpillars  and 
noxious  larvae,  or  pursuing  winged  insects  that  have  taken 
flight  from  the  trees.  While  thus  engaged,  he  utters  at 
short  intervals  his  warbling  song.  This  consists  some- 
times of  a  few  syllables  like  'w^e  chewio  turrulUt  chewSeo, 
given  in  a  singularly  sweet  tone.  This  is  only  a  part  of  its 
song ;  and  the  whole  is  so  difficult  of  description  that  I  can- 
not put  it  on  paper. 
Says  Nuttall, — 


I 


272 


OBNITHOLOOY  AND   OOLOQY. 


"The  whole  5»  delivered  almost  without  any  lengible  interval, 
with  earnest  animation,  in  a  pathetic,  tender,  and  pleasing  strain, 
well  calculated  to  produce  calm  and  thoughtful  reflection  m  the 
•eniitive   mind.      Yet,   while   this    heavenly   reverie  strikes   on 
the  human  ear  with  such  peculiar  effect,  the   humble   musician 
himself  seemn  but  little  concerned:  for  all  the  while,  perhaps,  that 
this  flowing  chorus  enchante  the  hearer,  he  is  casually  hopping 
from  spray  to  spmy  in  quest  of  his  active  or  crawling  prey ;  ami, 
if  a  cessation  occurs  in  his  almost  untiring  lay,  it  is  occasioned  by 
the  caterpillar  or  fly  he  has  fortunately  just  captured.     So  unaf- 
fected are  these  delightful  efforts  of  instinct,  and  so  unconscious  is 
the  performer,  apparently,  of  this  pleasing  faculty  bestowed  upon 
him  by  nature,  that  he  may  truly  be  considered  as  a  messenger  of 
harmony   to  man   a/c«<,.  appointed  by  the  flat  of  the  Creative 
power.     Wantonly  to  destroy  these  delightful,  aids  to  sentimental 
happiness  ought  therefore  to  be  viewed,  not  only  as  an  act  of  bar- 
barity, but  almost  as  a  sacrilege." 

The  Red-eyed  Vireo  commences  building  about  the  first 
week  in  June,  frequenting  the  woods  rather  more  commonly 
than  the  pastures  and  orchards,  although  it  often  breeds  m 
these  places.    The  nest  is  pensile,  and  is  hung  from  the 
fork  of  a  small  limb  of  a  tree,  seldom  more  than  fifteen  or 
twenty  feet  from  the  ground :  it  is  constructed  of  thin  strips 
of  cedar  bark,  pieces  of  wasps'  nests,  spiders'  nests,  pieces  of 
caterpillars'  silk,  and  other  pliable  materials.    These  are 
woven  together  neatly  and  compactly,  and  agglutmated 
together  by  the  bird's  saliva.    It  is  suspended  in  the  form 
of  a  basket  from  the  forked  twig  to  which  it  is  attached,  or 
rather  sewed  firmly.    It  is  lined  with  narrow  strips  of 
grape-vine  bark,  pine  leaves,  and  sometimes  fine  grass.    On 
the  outside  are  often  visible  bit»  of  rotten  wood,  fragments 
of  newspapers,  and  hornet's  nests.    One  specimen  m  my  col- 
lection,  obtained  in  Maine,  is  constructed  almost  entirely  of 
pieces  of  the  bark  of  the  white  birch:  it  is  a  very  neat 
fabric.    The  eggs  are  four  in  number,  pure-white  m  color, 
and  thinly  spotted,  chiefly  at  the  great  end,  with  dots  of 


it 


Iff 


TUB  WARBLINO   VIREO. 


278 


ale  Interval, 
uing  strain, 
iction  in  the 
itrikes    on 
lie   musician 
)erhap8,  that 
illy  hopping 
g  prey ;  and, 
ccasioned  by 
d.     So  unaf- 
nconsciou*  is 
stowed  upon 
messenger  of 
the  Creative 
)  sentimental 
1  act  of  bar- 


»ut  the  first 
•e  commonly 
m  broods  in 
ig  from  the 
n  fifteen  or 
)f  thin  strips 
its,  pieces  of 
These  are 
agglutinated 
I  in  the  form 
attached,  or 
3W  strips  of 
e  grass.    On 
>d,  fragments 
len  in  my  col- 
st  entirely  of 
I  a  very  neat 
[lite  in  color, 
with  dots  of 


brownish-black.  The  moaiuroraent  of  four  oggs  in  a  nost 
colloctod  in  Milton,  Muhh.,  aro  .84  by  .60  inoli,  .80  by  .r>0 
inch,  .80  by  .69  inch,  .78  by  .59  inch.  Otiior  spocimoas 
vary  but  little  from  tijOHO  dimensions.  Two  broods  are 
often  roared  in  the  season.  The  period  of  incubation  is 
twelve  days. 

▼IB20   OIVTVS.— Bunapartt. 

Th(  Wwrblinf  Vlrto. 

Muteicapa  ffilva,  VielUot.    Oli.,  I.  (1807)  88. 

Vireo  gilvut,  NutUU.  I.  (1882)  800.  Aud.  Orn.  Dlog.,  11.  (1884)  114{  V.  (18S9i 
438. 

Muicieapa  mdocKa,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  V.  (1812)  85. 

Dkscription. 

• 

Third,  fourth,  and  fifth  quilla  nearly  equal  j  second  and  sixth  usually  about  eqtiai, 
and  about  twenty-flv«  one-hundredlhi  of  an  inch  shorter  than  third ;  the  exposed 
portion  of  spurious  quill  about  one-fourth  tho  third;  above  greenish-olive;  the 
head  and  hind  neck  ashy,  the  back  slightly  tinged  with  tho  sanie;  lores  dusky;  a 
white  streak  fi-om  the  base  of  the  upper  mandible  above  and  a  little  behind  the  eye; 
beneath  the  eye  whitish;  sidos  of  the  head  pale  yellowish-brown;  beneath  white, 
tinged  with  very  pale  yellow  on  the  breast  and  sides;  no  light  margins  whatever  on 
the  outer  webs  of  the  wings  or  tail. 

Length,  about  five  and  a  half  inchea;  wings  nearly  three.  Spurious  primaiy, 
one-fourth  the  length  of  second. 

This  species  is  a  not  very  common  summer  inhabitant  of 
New  England,  arriving  and  departing  at  about  the  same 
time  as  the  preceding  species.  It  is  seldom  seen  in  the 
deep  forest  ;  and,  while  usually  found  about  farm-houses 
and  villages,  is  most  commonly  seen  in  localities  where  there 
are  numbers  of  the  trees  of  the  poplar  and  ash.  In  these 
trees,  it  inhabits  the  higher  branches ;  and  is,  with  the  Red- 
ejed  Vireo,  equally  industrious  in  its  search  for  insects.  Its 
song  is  difficult  of  description  :  it  is,  unlike  that  of  our  other 
Vireos,  a  long-continued,  cheerful  warble ;  and  is  perhaps 
best  described  by  saying  that  it  almost  exactly  resembles 
the  love-song  of  the  Purph  Finch.  In  fact,  I  have  some- 
times mistaken  the  song  pf  this  bird  for  that  of  the  other, 
and  only  discovered  my  error  after  carefully  watching  the 
bird  in  his  movements  in  the  tree-tops. 

18 


imtm 


wmmmm 


274 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


! 


if'^ 


The  Warbling  Vireo  seema  to  arrive  here  in  pairs ;  for  they 
seem  to  be  mated  when  we  first  discover  them.  Whether 
their  attachment  continues  through  several  seasons,  I  am 

ignorant. 

About  the  first  of  June,  the  pair  commence  buildiag. 
The  nest  is  pensile,  and  usually  built  in  tall  trees  (usually 
poplars),  often  fifty  feet  from  the  ground.  It  is  constructed 
of  strips  of  grape-vine  bark,  grass,  leaves,  or  bass-wood 
bark;  and  sometimes  bunches  of  caterpillars'  silk  are  left  on 
the  outside,  as  if  for  ornament.  The  following  very  inter- 
esting account  of  the  breeding  habits  of  this  bird  is  given 
by  Audubon,  who  watched  a  pair  building  in  a  Lombardy 
poplar :  — 

"One  morning,  I  observed   both  of  them  at  work:   they  had 
already  attached  some  slender  blades  of  grass  to  the  knots  of  the 
branch  and  the  bark  of  the  trunk,  and  had  given  them  a  cu'cular 
dibposition.     They  continued  working   downwards   and  outwards 
until  the  structure  exhibited  the  form  of  their  delicate  tenement. 
Before  the  end  of  the  second  day,  bits  of  hornets'  nests  and  particles 
of  corn  husks  had  been  attached  to  it  by  pushing  them  between  the 
rows  of  grass,  and  fixing  them  with  silky  substances.     On  the  third 
day,  the  birds  were  absent,  nor  could  I  hear  them  anywhere  m  the 
neighborhood ;  and,  thinking  that  a  cat  might  have  caught  them  from 
the  edge  of  the  roof,  I  despaired  of  seeing  them  again.     On  the 
fourth  morning,  however,  their  notes  attracted  my  attention  before 
I  arose;  and  I  had  the  pleasure  of  finding  them  at  their  labors. 
The  materials  which  they  now  used  consisted  chiefly  of  extremely 
slender  grasses,  which  the  birds  worked  in  a  circular  form  within 
the  frame  which  they  had  previously  made.     The  little  creatures 
were  absent  nearly  an  hour  at  a  time,  and  returned  together,  bring- 
ing  the  grass,  which,  I  concluded,  they  found  at  a  considerable 
distance.     Going  into  the  street  to  see  in  what  direction  they  went, 
I  watched  them  for  some  time,  and  followed  them  as  they  flew  from 
tree  to  tree  towards  the  river.    There  they  stopped,  and  looked  as 
if  carefully  watching  me,  when  they  resumed  their  journey,  and 
led  me  quite  out  of  the  village  to  a  large  meadow,  where  stood  an 
old  hay-stack.    They  alighted  on  it,  and,  in  a  few  minutes,  each  had 


THE   WHITE-EYED   VIHEO. 


275 


1 ;  for  they 

Whether 

ons,  I  am 


I  buildiag. 
IS  (usually 
oustructcd 
bass-wood 
are  left  on 
very  inter- 
d  is  given 
Lombardy 

c:  they  had 
knots  of  the 
n  a  circular 
id  outwards 
te  tenement, 
and  particles 
between  the 
On  the  third 
svhere  in  the 
;ht  them  from 
lin.    On  the 
ention  before 
their  labors, 
of  extremely 
•  form  within 
:tle  creatures 
gether,  bring- 
,  considerable 
on  they  went, 
;hey  flew  from 
md  looked  as 
journey,  and 
here  stood  an 
utes,  each  had 


selected  a  blade  of  grass.  Eeturning  by  the  same  route,  they 
moved  so  slowly  from  one  tree  to  another,  that  my  patience  was 
severely  tried.  Two  other  days  were  consumed  in  travelling  for 
the  same  kind  of  grass.  On  the  seventh,  I  saw  only  the  female  at 
work,  using  wood  and  horsehair:  the  eighth  was  almost  entirely 
spent  by  both  in  smoothing  the  inside.  They  would  enter  the  nest, 
§it  in  it,  turn  round,  and  press  the  lining.  In  the  course  of  five 
days,  an  equal  number  of  eggs  were  laid :  they  were  small,  of  a 
rather  narrow  oval  form,  white,  thinly  spotted  with  reddish-black 
at  the  larger  end.  The  birds  sat  alternately,  though  not  with  regu- 
larity as  to  time ;  and,  on  the  twelfth  day  of  incubation,  the  young 
came  out.  I  observed  that  the  male  would  bring  insects  to  the 
female,  and  that,  after  chopping  and  macerating  them  with  her 
beak,  she  placed  them  in  the  mouth  of  her  young  with  a  care 
and  delicacy  which  were  not  less  curious  than  pleasing  to  me," 

This  account  is  so  full  and  complete  that  I  can  add  noth- 
ing to  the  history  of  the  breeding  habits  of  this  bird.  But 
one  brood  is  reared  in  the  season  in  this  latitude.  The 
dimensions  of  four  eggs  in  my  collection  from  different 
localities  are  .83  by  .56  inch,  .80  by  .56  inch,  .78  by  .54 
inch,  .78  by  .53  inch.  These  will  be  found  to  be  the  aver- 
age size  of  this  species.  The  nest  is  about  three  inches  in 
exterior  diameter,  and  about  two  and  a  half  in  depth. 

VIBEO   NOVEBOSACENSIS.  —  Bonaparte. 

^  The  White-eyed  Vireo.  — 

Mittcicapa  Noveioracermt,  Gmelin.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1788)  947. 
Vireo  Novcboracensi$,  Bonaparte.    Obs.  Wils.  (1825),  No.  122.    Aud.  Om.  Biog., 
I.  (1831)  328;  V.  431,  433;  Birds  Am.,  IV.  (1842)  146;  Nutt.  Man.,  I.  (1832)  306. 
Mttscicapa  cantatrix,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  II.  (1810)  266. 

Description. 

Spurious  primary  about  half  the  second,  which  is  about  equal  to  the  eighth  quill ; 
entire  upper  parts  bright  olivaceous-green;  space  around  the  eyes  and  extending 
Jo  the  bill  greenish-yellow,  interrupted  by  a  dusky  spot  from  the  anterior  canthus  to 
the  base  of  the  gape;  beneath  white;  the  sides  of  the  breast  and  body  well  defined, 
almost  gamboge-yellow ;  edges  of  greater  and  middle  wing  coverto  (forming  two 
bands)  and  of  inner  tertiaries  greenish-yellow  white;  iris  white. 

Length,  five  inches;  wing,  two  and  flfty  one-hundredths. 


-ftitMTiiriitiiitiitwfrirwimrai'iP'y'-^^"^'^'^^^^^^^^ 


276 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND   OOLOGY. 


This  species  is  very  irregularly  distributed  in  New  Bug- 
land  as  a  summer  Inhabitant.  In  Maine,  New  Hampshire, 
and  Vermont  it  is  rare ;  and,  while  it  is  quite  abundant  m 
the  eastern  parts  of  Massachusetts,  it  is  rare  in  the  western. 
Says  J.  A.  Allen  of  it,  at  Springfield,— 

« I  have  never  known  the  White-eyed  Vireo  taken  here ;  and  if, 
occurring,  as  it  very  probably  does,  being  not  very  uncommon  in 
the  eastern  parts  of  the  State,  it  must  be  excessively  rare.  In 
about  a  thousand  specimens  of  the  smaller  land  birds  taken  at 
Springfield  durmg  the  last  three  years  by  different  collector.,  not 
a  single  White-eyed  Vireo  has  been  found." 

This  species  arrives  from  the  South,  usually  in  pairs,  from  . 
about  the  25th  of  April  to  the  1st  of  May.    It  generally 
frequents  low  thickets  and  swamps.     I  do  not  remember  ol 
ever  meeting  with  one  in  deep,  high  woods ;  but  have  often 
found  a  pair  in  a  brier-patch  in  the  middle  of  an  old  field  or 
pasture.    In  such  localities,  its  peculiar  note  'cUp  cheweeo, 
^chip  'chip  cheweSo,  is  often  heard;  together  with  ^"otjer 
rattling,  scolding  note,  difficult  of  description.    When  the 
bird  is  approached,  it  meets  the  intruder  with  this  scolding 
rattle ;  and,  if  the  nest  is  approached,  the  Vireo  becomes 
almost  outrageous  in  its  remonstrances.   The  nest  is  usually 
placed  in  a  thicket  of  briers  or  vines,  often  in  the  gardens 
and  fields.    It  is  constructed  of  fibres  of  the  mner  bark  cf 
trees,  fine  twigs,  grasses,  pieces  of  hornets.'  nests,  and  frag- 
ments  of  paper.    These  are  built  in  a  pensile  form,  sus- 
pended  by  the  upper  edge,  and  lined  with  slender  strips  of 
grape-vine  bark  and  roots.    The  eggs  are  usually  four  m 
number,  and  can  hardly  be- distinguished  from  those  of  the 
Bed-eyed  Vireo  in  shape  or  color;  the  average  dimensions 
being  a  trifle  smaller.    Several  eggs  collected  ^  different 
localities  exhibit,  as  an  average  measurement,  .82  by  .59 
Inch     A  nest  complement  of  four  eggs,  collected  in  Milton, 
Mrss    vary  but  a  trifle  from  this  size ;  their  measurement 
frg'.83  by  .59  inch,  .82  by  .59  inch,  .82  by  .58  inch,  .80 


ill 


ifew  Eng- 
impshire, 
indant  in 
I  western. 

re ;  and  if^ 
x)mmon  in 
rare.  In 
s  taken  at 
lectors,  not 


)airs,  from  . 

generally 
nember  of 
have  often 
)ld  field  or 
ip  cheweSo, 
th  another 
When  the 
is  scolding 
!0  becomes 
t  is  usually 
he  gardens 
ler  bark  of 
},  and  frag- 

form,  8U8- 
ir  strips  of 
ally  four  in 
hose  of  the 

dimensions 
in  diflFerent 

.82  by  .59 
d  in  Milton, 
leasurement 
,58  inch,  .80 


HOBi 


THE   SOLITARY   VIBEO. 


£77 


by  .58  inch.    But  one  brood  is  usually  reared  in  New  Eng- 
land in  the  season,  and  the  period  of  incubation  is  twelve 


TIBEO   SOLITABTOS.— FtetODt. 

The  Solitary  Tireo;  Blue-headed  Vireo. 

Mutcieapa  toUtaria,  Wilson.    Am.  Orn.,  II.  (1810)  148. 

Vireo  tolitariiu,  Vieil.'ot.  Nouv.  Diet.  (1817).  Aud.  Orn.  Biog.,  I.  (1881),  147 ;  V. 
(1889)  482.    Nutt.  Man.,  I.  (1882)  806. 

Descriptioh. 

Spurious  primary  very  email,  not  one-fourth  the  second,  which  is  longer  than 
the  sixth ;  top  and  sides  of  the  head  and  upper  part  of  the  neck  dark  bhiish-a<>h ; 
rest  of  upper  parts  clear  olive-green ;  a  white  ring  round  the  eye,  interrupted  in  the 
anterior  canthus  by  a  dusky  lore,  but  the  white  color  extending  above  this  spot  to 
the  base  of  the  bill;  under  parts  white;  the  sides  under  the  wings  greenish-yellow; 
two  bands  on  the  wing  coverts,  with  the  edges  of  the  secondaries,  greenish-white  j 
outer  tail  feather  with  its  edge  all  round,  including  the  whole  outer  web,  whitish. 

Length,  about  five  and  a  half  inches;  wing,  two  and  forty  one-hundredths. 

This  bird  occurs  as  a  summer  resident  in  New  England. 
It  has  been  taken  in  all  these  States,  but  not  in  any  numbers. 

It  makes  its  appearance  about  the  first  or  second  week  in 
May,  usually  in  pairs,  and  commences  building  its  nest 
about  the  last  week  in  that  month.  I  have  never  met  with 
its  nest ;  and  Audubon's  description,  though  meagre,  is  the 
best  available.    It  is  as  fohows :  — 

"  The  nest  is  prettily  constructed,  and  fixed,  in  a  partially  pensile 
manner,  between  two  twigs  of  a  low  bush  on  a  branch  running 
horizontally  from  the  main  stem.  It  is  formed  externally  of  gray 
lichens  slightly  put  together,  and  lined  with  hair,  chiefly  from  the 
deer  and  raccoon.  The  female  lays  four  or  five  eggs,  which  are 
white,  with  a  strong  tinge  of  flesh-color,  and  sprinkled  with  brown- 
ish-red dots  at  the  larger  end." 

A  number  of  eggs  in  my  collection  correspond  in  color 
and  markings  to  the  above  description,  and  measure  on 
the  average  .81  by  .59  inch.  But  one  brood  is  reared  in  the 
season,  although  there  have  been  specimens  taken  as  late  as 


'^mm 


iHili 


278  OHNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 

October.  But  little  is  known  of  the  habits  of  this  bird  as 
it  prefers  the  deep  woods  and  swamps  to  the  more  open  dis- 
tricts. 

VIBEO   FLAVIPEOHS.— WfWot- 
The  Tellow-throated  Vireo. 
VJreo  rtar./m«.  VieiUot.    Oi«.  Am,  I.  (1807)  86.    Aud.  Cm.  Biog.,  II.  (1884) 
119,  V.  428.  V,  Syn.    lb.,  Birds  Am,  IV.  (1842)  141. 
MuKicapa»ylvUola,mUon.    Am.  Cm.,  11.  (1810)  117. 

Descmption. 
No  spurious  quill,  the  first  and  fourth  equal,  from  bill  to  middle  of  back  Bide, 
of  held  rck,  and  fore  part  of  breast  olive-green,  beneath,  from  b.U  to  m.ddle  of 
bllW  ti°"a  i  round' the  eyes,  sulphur-yellow,  lores  dusky,  rest  of  under  parU 
Ste  0  upi«,r,  ashy-blue,  tinged  with  g.een,  two  white  "  »"  'he  wmg,  tr- 
11;  edged  wth  white,  other  quills  with  greenish,  outer  ta.  feathers  edged  wUh 
yeZish  white,  the  outer  web  of  first  feather  enUrely  of  th>s  color,  except  near 

'"^Length,  nearly  six  inches,  wing,  three  and  twerty  oneimidredths. 

This  beautiful  Vireo  is  not  very  common  in  New  England, 
although  it  is  found  in  all  these  States  as  a  summer  visitor. 
It  arrives  from  the  South  about  the  tenth  of  May,  sometimes 
not  earlier  than  the  fifteenth,  and  commences  building 
about  the  first  or  second  week  in  June.    The  nest  is  placed 
in  a  small  fork  of  a  tree,  usually  the  apple-tree,  at  a  height 
of  about  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  from  the  ground.    It  is  the 
most  beautiful  nest  made  by  birds  of  this  genus :  it  is  built 
of  nearly  the  same  materials  as  the  others,  but  i»i  covered  m 
the  most  tasty  manner  with  pieces  of  lichens  and  caterpil- 
lars' silk  and  spiders'  webs,  which  are  plastered  or  aggluti- 
nated  on   over   the  entire  aurface,  giving  the   nest  the 
appearance  of  a  large  bunch  of  moss  hanging  from  a  forked 
twig     Several  of  these  nests,  collected  in  different  locali- 
ties, are  in  my  collection.    They  are  invariably  of  this 
description,  and  are  aU  lined  with  pieces  of  paper,  wasps 
nest,  and  fine  grasses.    With  the  exception  of  the  nest  of  the 
Humming-bird,  and  perhaps  two  or  three  of  the  Warblers, 
the  aest  of  this  species  is  the  most  beautiful  specimen  of 


THE   YELLOW-THROATED   VIBEO. 


279 


I  bird,  as 
open  dia- 


;.,  U.  (1884) 


at  back,  aides 
to  middle  of 
f  under  parts 
lie  wing;  ter- 
ra edged  with 
,  except  near 


'  England, 
ler  visitor, 
sometimes 
i  building 
t  is  placed 
it  a  heigh  u 
It  is  the 
it  is  built 
covered  in 
id  caterpil- 
or  aggluti- 
)  nest  the 
im  a  forked 
rent  locali- 
oly  of  this 
iper,  wasps' 
J  nest  of  the 
e  Warblers, 
pecimen  oi 


bird  architecture  that  I  am  acquainted  with.  The  eggs  are 
usually  four  in  number.  Tliey  are  of  a  pure-white  color, 
with  thinly  scattered  spots  of  two  shades  of  reddish-brown 
and  black.  The  dimensions  of  four  eggs  collected  in  Con- 
necticut are  .83  by  .61  inch,  .82  by  .60  inch,  .82  by  .GO  inch, 
and  .80  by  .59  inch.  But  one  brood  is  reared  in  the  season 
in  New  England. 
Wilson,  in  describing  the  habits  of  this  bird,  says,—     . 

"  This  summer  species  is  found  chiefly  in  the  woods,  hunting 
among  the  liigh  branches ;  and  has  an  indolent  and  plaintive  note, 
which  it  repeats,  with  some  little  variation,  every  ten  or  twelve 
seconds,  like  preeb,  preea,  &c.  It  is  often  heard  in  company  with 
the  Red-eyed  Flycatcher  {Muscicapa  olivacea)  ;  the  loud,  energetic 
notes  of  the  latter,  mingling  with  the  soft,  languid  warble  of  the 
former,  producing  an  agreeable  effect,  particularly  during  the  burn- 
ing heat  of  noon,  when  almost  every  other  songster'  but  these  two 
is  silent.  Those  who  loiter  through  the  shades  of  our  magnificent 
forests  at  that  hour  will  easily  recognize  both  species.  It  arrives 
from  the  south  early  in  May,  and  returns  again  with  its  young 
about  the  middle  of  September.  Its  nest,  which  is  sometimes  fixed 
on  the  upper  side  of  a  limb,  sometimes  on  a  horizontal  branch 
among  the  twigs,  generally  on  a  tree,  is  composed  outwardly  of 
thin  strips  of  the  bark  of  grape-vines,  moss,  lichens,  &c.,  and  lined 
with  fine  fibres  of  such  like  substances :  the  eggs,  usually  four,  are 
white,  thinly  dotted  with  black,  chiefly  near  the  great  end.  Wmged 
insects  are  its  principal  food." 

In  dismissing  this  beautiful  and  favorite  family  of  our 
birds,  I  feel  that  it  is  impossible  to  say  too  much  in  their 
favor :  their  neat  and  delicate  plumage  and  sweet  song,  their 
engaging  and  interesting  habits,  and  their  well-known  insect- 
destroying  proclivities,  have  justly  rendered  tJiem  great 
favorites ;  and  the  farmer,  in  protecting  them,  and  encour- 
ing  them  to  take  up  homes  near  his  orchards  and  gardens, 
but  extends  a  care  and  wfelcome  for  his  best  friends. 


ir-* 


280 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


Familt  ALAUDID-J;.    The  Skylarks. 

Fir.t  nrimarv  very  short  or  wanting;  tarsi  scutcllate  anteriorly  and  posteriony, 
with  t"e  pZr.  .T"f  corresponding  position  and  number;  hind  daw  ve^  long 
rdrearly  straight;  bill  short,  conical,  ftontal  feather,  extending  along  the  s.de  of 
the  billT  ^e  nos'rii;  usually  concealed  by  a  tuft  of  bristly  feathers  directed  forwards ; 
tertials  greatly  elongated  beyond  the  secondaries. 

EREMOPHILA,  BoiK. 

£remop«fa.BoiE,Isis  (1828),  822.  iTyv^  Alavda  alpcHru.)  SufficienUy  distinct 
«W>m  FremODhiltu,  Humboldt  (Fishes,  1805). 

FiSpIa^ wanting;  bill  scarcely  higher  than  broad,  -'trils  c.rcular  con- 
cealed  b/a  del  tuft  of  feathers;  the  nasal  foss«  oblique;  a  pectoral  crescent  and 
cheek  patches  of  black. 

EREMOPHILA  COBHirrA.  — JSow. 
The  Skylark;  Shore-lark, 
Eattem  and  NorOiem  vari^y. 
Alauda  comuta,  Wilson.    Am.  Cm.,  I.  (1808)  85. 

Eremcphilacomuta,ho\e.    Isis  (1828),  822.  „„    „„     t    /ismmB5 

AlaJ^  alpotris,  Wilson.     Am.  Cm.,  I.  (1808)  86.     Nutt.  Man.,  I.  (1882)  466. 
And.  Om.  Biog.,  II.  (1884)  670 ;  V.  448. 

Desckiptios. 
\bove  pinkish-brown,  the  feathers  of  the  back  streaked  with  dusky;  a  broad 
band  alross  the  crown,  ^xtendinl  backwards  along  the  lateral  tufts;  a  cresceuuo 
S>  Z  he  bill  belo;  the  eye  and  along  the  side  of  the  head ;  a  juguUr  crescent 
^dthrtTil  feathers,  black;  the  innermost  of  the  latter  like  the  back ;  a  fi^nal  band 
"tiding  backwards  over'  the  eye,  and  under  parts,  with  outer  edge  of  wmgs  and 
tail   white:  chin  and  throat  yellow. 

lI^  of  Pennsylvania  specimens,  seven  and  seventy-five  one-hundreda« 
inches" Ving,  four  and  fifty  one-hundredths  inches;  tail,  three  and  twenQr-five  oue- 
bundredths  inches;  bill,  above,  fifty-two  one-hundredths  of  an  inch. 

THIS  bird  is  found  in  New  England  only  as  a  winter 
visitor.  It  makes  its  appearance  by  the  latter  part  of 
November,  in  flocks  of  thirty  or  forty,  which  repair  to  the 
salt-marshes,  and  low  pastures  and  fields,  where  they  remain 
during  their  stay  with  us.  Here  they  feed  on  the  seeds  of 
various  grasses  and  weeds,  and  such  insects  as  they  may  be 


nd  posterloii/i 
;law  very  long 
ng  the  side  of 
icted  forwards; 


[ciently  distinct 

8  circular,  con- 
al  crescent  and 


,,  I.  (1882)  46S. 


dusky;  a  broad 
ifts;  a  cre8ceiit.iiS 
jugular  crescent, 
k ;  a  frontal  band 
Ige  of  wings  and 

I  one-hundredtha 
,  twenty-five  one- 


OS  a  winter 

atter  part  of 

repair  to  the 

I  they  remain 

the  seeds  of 

they  may  be 


THE  SKYLARK. 


281 


able  to  obtain  at  that  inclement  season.  They  often  associate 
with  the  Snow  Buntings,  and  sometimes  make  sliort  excur- 
sions inland.  I  have  seen  them  on  tlie  beach  busily  search- 
ing among  the  seaweed  for  small  shell-fish  and  animalcules ; 
and,  in  country  roads,  have  observed  that  they  visit  the  drop- 
pings of  horses  and  cattle  for  the  seeds  contained  in  them. 

By  the  middle  of  March,  the  Shore-larks  leave  New  Eng- 
land for  the  North,  where  they  breed,  and  spend  the  summer. 
Audubon  says,  of  their  breeding  habits,  — - 

"The  Shore-lark  breeds  on  the  high  and  desolate  tracts  of 
Labrador,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  sea.  The  face  of  the  country 
appears  as  if  formed  of  one  undulated  expanse  of  dark  granite, 
covered  with  mosses  and  lichens,  varying  in  size  and  color ;  some 
green,  Otjers  as  white  as  snow,  and  others  again  of  every  tint,  and 
disposed  in  large  patciie$  or  tufts.  It  is  on  the  latter  that  the  Lark 
places  her  nest,  whicJj  is  disposed  with  so  much  care,  while  the  moss 
80  resembles  the  bird  in  hue,  that,  unless  you  almost  tread  upon  her 
as  she  sits,  she  seems  to  feel  secure,  and  remains  unmoved.  Should 
you,  however,  approach  so  near,  she  flutters  away,  feigning  lameness 
so  cunningly  that  none  but  one  accustomed  to  tfie  sight  can  refrain 
from  pursuing  her.  The  male  immediately  joins  her  in  mimic 
wretchedness,  uttering  a  note  so  soft  and  plaintive  that  it  requires 
a  strong  stimulation  to  force  the  naturalist  to  rob  the  poor  birds  of 
their  treasure. 

«  The  nest,  which  is  embedded  in  the  moss  to  its  edges,  is  com- 
posed of  fine  grasses,  circularly  disposed,  and  forming  a  bed  about 
two  inches  thick,  with  a  lining  of  grouse-feathers  and  those  of  other 
birds.  In  the  beginning  of  July,  the  eggs  are  deposited.  They 
are  four  or  five  in  number,  large,  grayish,  and  covered  with  numer- 
ous pale-blue  and  brown  spots.  The  young  leave  the  nest  be- 
fore they  are  able  to  fly,  and  follow  their  parents  over  the  moss, 
where  they  are  fed  about  a  week.  They  run  nimbly,  emit  a  soft 
prep,  and  squat  closely  at  the  first  appearance  of  danger.  If  ob- 
served and  pursued,  they  open  their  wings  to  aid  them  in  their 
escape,  and,  separating,  make  off  with  great  celerity.  On  such 
occasions,  it  is  difficult  to  secure  more  than  one  of  them,  unless 
several  persons  be  present,  when  each  can  pursue  a  bird.     The 


jg|.,^Mi 


HHI 


282 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


pa-ents,  all  this  time,  are  following  the  enemy  overhead  lamentmg 
the  danger  to  which  their  young  are  exposed.  In  several  instances, 
the  old  bii-d  followed  us  almost  to  our  boat,  alighting  occasionally 
on  a  projecting  crag  before  us,  and  entreating  us,  as  it  were,  to 
restore  ite  offspring.  By  the  first  of  August,  many  of  the  young 
are  fully  fledged,  and  the  different  broods  are  seen  associating 
together  to  the  number  of  forty,  fifty,  or  more.  They  now  gradu- 
ally remove  to  the  islands  of  the  coast,  where  they  remain  until 
their  departure,  which  takes  place  in  the  beginning  of  September. 
They  start  at  the  dawn  of  day,  proceed  on  their  way  south  at  a 
small  elevation  above  the  water,  and  fly  in  so  straggling  a  manner 
that  they  can  scarcely  be  said  to  move  in  flocks." 

A  number  of  eggs  in  my  collection,  from  Wisconsin  and 
Illinois,  where  these  birds  treed  in  considerable  numbers, 
are  of  a  faint  grayish-brown  color,  and  marked  with  numer- 
ous dots  and  spots  of  umber,  of  different  shades,  over  the 
entire  surface  of  the  egg.  On  one  or  two  specimens  these 
markings  are  confluent  into  coarser  blotches  of  the  two 
shades  of  umber  and  lilac.  The  greatest  dimensions  of  my 
specimens  are  .93  by  .65  inch ;  the  least  dimensions,  .85 
by  .63  inch. 


lamenting 
instane«s, 
casionally 
,  were,  to 
the  young 
issociating 
ow  gradu- 
nain  until 
ieptember. 
south  aJ^.  a 
;  a  manner 


Ml  sin  and 
numbers, 
th  numer- 
,  over  the 
3n3,  these 
r  the  two 
ans  of  my 
sions,  .85 


niiMiiiii 


THE  PINE  GROSBEAK. 


Family  FRINGILLID^.    The  Seed-eaters. 

Primariea  nine ;  bill  very  short,  abruptly  conical  and  robust ;  commimuro  strongly 
•ngulated  at  base  of  bill;  tarsi  scutellate  anteriorly,  but  the  sides  with  two  undivided 
platea  meeting  behind  along  the  median  line,  as  a  sharp  posterior  ridge. 

Sub-Family  Coccothraustin^.  —  The  Finches. 

Wings  very  long  and  much  pointed,  generally  one-third  longer  than  the  more  or 
less  forked  tail;  first  quill  usually  nearly  as  long  or  longer  than  the  second;  ter- 
t.aries  but  little  longer,  or  equal  to  the  secondaries,  and  always  much  exceeded  by 
the  primarifs;  bill  very  variable  in  shape  and  size,  the  upper  mandible,  however,  as 
broad  as  the  lower;  nostrils  rather  more  lateral  than  usual,  and  alwava  more  or  less 
concealed  by  a  series  of  small  bristly  feathers  applied  along  the  base  of  the  upper 
mandible;  no  bristles  at  the  base  of  the  bill;  feet  short  and  riitlier  weak;  hind  claw 
usually  longer  than  the  middle  anterior  one,  sometimes  nearly  the  same  size. 

PINICOLA,  VlEILLOT. 

Pinicola,  Vieilm)t,  Ois.  Am.  Sept.,  I.  (1807). 

Bill  short,  nearly  as  high  as  long,  upper  outline  much  curved  from  the  base;  the 
margins  of  the  mandibles  rounded;  the  commissure  gently  concave,  and  abruptly 
deflexed  at  the  tip;  base  of  the  upper  mandible  much  concealed  by  the  bristly  feath- 
ers covering  the  basal  third;  tarsus  rather  shorter  than  the  middle  toe;  lateral  toe 
short,  but  their  long  claws  reach  the  base  of  the  middle  one,  which  is  longer  than 
the  hind  claw;  wings  moderate,  the  first  quill  rather  shorter  than  the  second,  third, 
and  fourth ;  tail  rather  shorter  than  the  wings,  nearly  even. 

But  one  species  of  this  genus  belongs  to  the  American  fauna,  and  is  closely  allied 
to,  if  not  identical  with,  that  belonging  to  the  northern  portions  of  the  Old  World. 

PINICOLA  CANADEHSIS — Cabanis. 

The  Pine  Grosbeak. 

Pinicola  Canadensis,  Cabanis.    Mus.  Hein.  (1851),  167.  . 
Loxia  euuckntor,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  I.  (1808)  80. 
Ptfirhuia  enucleatcr,  Audubon.    Om.  Biog.,  IV.  (1838)  414. 

Description. 

Bill  and  legs  black;  general  color  carmine-red,  not  continuous  above,  however, 

except  on  the  head;  the  feathers  shoving  brownish  centres  on  the  back,  where  too 

the  red  is  darker;  loral  region,  base  of  lower  jaw  all  round,  sides  and  posterior' part' 

of  body,  with  under  tail  coverts,  ashy,  whitest  behind;  wing  with  two  white  bands 


284 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


acroM  the  tip*  of  the  greater  and  middle  covert* ;  the  outer  edgea  of  the  qulHa  alao 
while,  broadeit  on  the  tcrtiariea. 

Female,  ashy ;  browninh  above,  tingud  with  grccninh-ycllow  beneath ;  top  of  head, 
rnmp,  and  upper  fail  coverts  brownii.h  gamboKe-yellow,  wings  as  in  the  male. 

Length,  about  eight  and  fifty  oue-hundredtlu  Indies  i  wing,  four  and  fifty  ou«- 
hundredths;  tail,  four  inches. 

ALTHOUGH  we  find  in  Vorrill's  list  of  birds  found  at 
Norway,  l^o.,  that  this  species  is  there  a  very  conamon 
winter  visitor,  my  experience  has  been,  that  it  is  an  ex- 
tremely rare  one  in  Massachusetts,  and  is  only  found  with 
us  in  very  severe  seasons. 

This  winter  (186G-67),  they  have  been  very  abundant, 
and  good  opportunities  have  been  obtained  for  studying 
their  habits. 

Like  other  northern  species,  the  Pine  Grosbeak  is  very 
tame  and  familiar  while  here  in  winter.  Mr.  Maynard,  of 
Newtonville,  Mass.,  informs  me,  that  he  has  repeatedly, 
during  this  season,  captured  specimens  in  his  hands,  and 
has  had  no  difficulty  in  slipping  a  noose  over  their  heads,  as 
the  birds  were  employed  in  opening  the  pine  seeds,  or  eating 
the  berries  of  the  cedar;  and  he  has  now  in  captivity  a 
number  of  specimens  that  are  exceedingly  tame  and  inter- 
esting, feeding  readily  on  various  seeds  and  fruits.  A  pair 
that  I  have  in  my  possession,  which  he  captured,  are  so 
tame  that  they  take  food  from  my  hand,  and  even  perch 
upon  my  finger.  Their  song  is  a  soft,  pleasing  warble,  not 
unlike  that  of  the  canary. 

Both  sexes  have  a  number  of  call-notes,  and  they  keep  up 
a  continuous  twitter  through  the  day :  they  are  always  lively 
and  good-tempered,  and  are  really  entertaining  pets, 

Mr.  Wheelwright,  in  his  valuable  and  exceedingly  inter- 
esting book,.  "  A  Spring  and  Summer  in  Lapland,"  gives 
the  following  account  of  the  habits  of  the  European  Pine 
Grosbeak,  a  bird  nearly  allied  to,  if  not  identical  with,  our 
own :  "  By  the  first  week  in  May,  they  had  paired  ;  and  we 
took  our  first  nest  on  June  4,  with  three  eggs,  in  a  small  fir, 
about  ten  feet  from  the  ground,  on  the  side  of  a  small  fell, 


"MVHI 


— I 


THE   PURPLE   FINCH. 


285 


la  quint  alio 

top  of  beadi 
0  male, 
nd  fifty  one- 


found  at 
'  coiuinon 
is  an  ox- 
uud  with 

ibundant, 
studying 

ik  is  very 
lynard,  of 
epeatedly, 
ands,  and 
'  heads,  as 
,,  or  eating 
laptivity  a 
and  intor- 
8.  A  pair 
ed,  are  so 
ven  perch 
irarble,  not 

ay  keep  up 
yays  lively 

ngly  inter- 
nd,"  gives 
»pean  Fine 
[  with,  our 
d ;  and  we 
a  small  fir, 
small  fell, 


in  by  no  means  a  large  wood :  and  I  may  observe,  that  all 
the  nests  we  took  were  built  in  small  firs,  never  high  from  the 
ground,  or  in  deep  woods,  and  generally  in  conspicuous  situa- 
tions. The  nest  is  neitlior  large  nor  deep,  but  vi  vy  com- 
pactly and  cleanly  built,  like  basket-work,  the  outside  wallihg 
of  very  fine  fir  branches  and  thin  cranberry  fibres  tightly 
interlaced,  and  lincJd  with  fine  stiff  grass  and  a  little  hair. 
The  eggs  vary  much,  both  in  size  and  coloring;  but  are 
usually  of  a  pale  blue-green  ground-color,  blotched  and  lined 
with  light-purple  and  dark  burut-uraber  spots  and  pricks, 
always  thickest  towards  the  large  end.  Average  size,  1  inch 
•  by  .76  inch." 

Tlie  food  of  the  Grosbeak  is  not,  as  in  the  Crossbills,  from 
the  seed  of  the  fir  cones,  but  the  small  buds  or  embryo  of  the 
young  branches  which  slioot  out  from  the  lateral  branches 
of  the  fir ;  but  thcy  can  pick  out  the  seeds  from  the  cones, 
both  of  the  pine  and  fir,  quite  as  cleverly  as  the  Crossbills. 

For  a  very  full  and  interesting  description  of  the  habits 
of  this  species,  I  will  refer  the  reader  to  vol.  IV.  Audubon's 
Am.  Orn.  Biog.,  p.  414. 

CARPODACUS,  Kaup. 

Carpodactu,  Kaup,  «  Entw.  Europ.  Thierw .,  1829."  (Type  Loxia  erythrim,  Pall.) 
Bill  jhort,  Btout,  vaulted;  the  culmen  decurved  towards  the  endj  the  commia- 
Bure  nearly  straight  to  the  slighUy  decurved  end;  a  slight  development  of  bristly 
feathers  along  the  sides  of  the  bill,  concealing  the  nostrils;  tarsus  shorter  than  the 
middle  toe;  .lateral  claws  reaching  to  the  baie  of  the  middle  one;  claw  of  hind  too 
much  curved,  smaller  than  the  middle  one,  and  rather  less  than  the  digital  portion; 
wings  long  and  pointed,  reaching  to  the  middle  of  the  tail,  which  is  considerably 
•horter  than  the  wing,  and  moderately  forked;  colors  red,  or  red  and  brown. 

CABPODACUS  PUEPTOEUS.— Oroy. 
/  The  Pnrpla  Finoli.^ 

Frifigina  purpurea,  Wilion.  Am.  Om.,  I.  (1808)  119.  And.  Om.  Bioir..I.  (183li 
24;  V.  200.  *'     ^ 

PE8CRIFT109. 

Second  quill  longest ;  first  shorter  than  third,  considerably  longer  than  the  fourth ; 
body  crimson,  palest  on  the  rump  and  breast,  darkest  across  the  middle  of  back  and 
Wing  coverts,  where  the  feathers  have  dusky  centres;  th-  rod  extends  below  continu- 


siBi 


■Hiil 


i^ 


286 


OBNITHOLOOY    AND   OOLOGY. 


ou.ly  to  the  lower  part  of  the  hre«»t,  and  In  »pot.  to  the  tibl. ;  the  belly  iind  und.f  tnH 
rnvrt.  white,  .treaked  fuinlly  with  brown,  except  in  the  very  mi.ldle  i  ed^es  of  wintjn 
ar.d  tail  feather,  hrownl.htredi  leo.er  eoverti.  like  the  hn.k  i  two  red.li-h  tmn.U  acroM 
the  winw  (over  the  end.  of  the  middle  and  greater  covert.);  loren  dull-Kruyi»h. 

iM.inale  ollvaceou«-brown,  brJKhter  on  the  riunpi  l)«ne«th  while;  all  the  feolhert 
everywhere  ntreaked  with  brown,  except,  on  the  n.id.llo  of  the  belly  and  nnder  coverti, 

a  Kuperciliarv  lifiht  iitri|)e.  ,.,,_,, 

lAM.Kth  Hixandtwenty-nvoone-hundredtlwincheni  wing,  three  and  thirty-four 
ono-hundredtloi;  tail,  two  and  lUly  onc-hundrcdths ;  bill,  above,  forty-»ix  one-hun- 
dredthi  of  an  inch. 

Tliis  specioB,  although  quite  common  in  many  localitios 
of  New  England,  is  very  irregularly  diHtrihuted.     For  in- 
Blanco,  it  breeds  abundantly  in  and  near  Cambridge,  Mass., 
but  is  not  found  in  any  otlicr  part  of  tho  State  in  any  thing  * 
like  tlio  abundance  that  it  is  tliero.     In  that  locality,  it  is 
one  of  the  most  common  birds  breeding ;  in  otlier  localities,  it 
is  occasionally  found  in  only  detached  pairs.     So,  in  Maine, 
it  is  common  in  the  neighborhood  of  tlio  Umbagog  lakes ;  but 
elsewhere  it  is  not  often  seen.     There  seems  to  be,  as  Mr. 
Allen  justly  remarks,  a  great  increase  of  this  species  within 
tho  last  few  years ;  and  it  is  beginning  to  be  one  of  our  most 
common  species.     The  birds  separate  into  pairs  soon  after 
their  arrival,  about  the  middle  of  April,  but  do  not  com- 
mence building  before  tho  middle  of  May.    Tliey  are  occa- 
sionally  resident  here  through  the  mild  winter ;  but,  as  a 
general  thing,  they  arrive  in  New  England  in  flocks  of  ten 
or  a  dozen  about  the  last  of  March.     The  nest  is  ustiuUy 
built  in  a  pine  or  cedar  tree,  and  is  sometimes  thirty  or  oven 
forty  feet  from  the  ground,— often er  about  fifteen  or  twenty. 
It  is  constructed  of  fine  roots  and  grasses,  and  is  lined  with 
horsehair  and  hogs'  bristles.    One  specimen  in  my  collection 
has  the  cast-off  skin  of  a  snake  woven  in  the  rest  of  the 
fabric ;  and  I  have  seen  nests  lined  with  mosses.    Generally, 
hairs  of  different  animals  form  the  lining,  and  roots  and 
grass  tlio  main  structure. 

The  eggs  are  of  a  beautiful  bluish-green  color,  and  marked 
with  spots  and  streaks  of  black :  their  form  is  a  sharply 
pointed  oval,  and  their  uimensions  vary  from  .94  by  .64  inch 


"TSfiflS^ralBWBSBSBfflrBE^ 


4k, 


-Xr 


and  iiniitr  tM 

i'(l((i's  (if  wing* 
li  Irnnd*  scroM 
l-({ruyiith. 
ill  llio  feallxTi 
iiiulcr  covcrtf, 

inJ  fhirty-four 
y-Bix  onc-hun- 


Y  localities 
I.  For  in- 
Ipe,  Mass., 
I  any  tinng  •■ 
cality,  it  is 
iocalitios,  it 
I,  in  Maine, 

lakes;  but 
bo,  aa  Mr. 
seics  within 
of  onr  moat 

soon  after 
0  not  com- 
jy  are  occa- 

;  but,  as  a 
ocks  of  ten 
t  is  usimlly 
irty  or  even 
i\  or  twenty. 
s  lined  with 
ly  collection 

rest  of  the 

Generally, 

i  roots  and 

and  marked 
is  a  sharply 
:  by  .64  inch 


THE   PURPLE   FINCH. 


287 


to  .88  by  .GO  incli.     Two  broods  are  often  roared  in  the 
season. 

This  species  is  one  of  the  few  injurious  birds  tiiat  wo  have  ; 
and,  although  it  has  a  beautiful  warbling  song,  and  is  ulto- 
gotiior  a  fine-looking  bird,  it  is  much  disliked  in  tlio  country 
in  consequence  of  its  bad  habit  of  cutting  off  and  eating 
t';3  buds  and  blossoms  of  fruit-trees.  Wilson  says  of  tiiis 
habit,  — 

"  This  is  ft  winter  bird  of  passage,  coming  to  us  in  large  flocks 
from  tho  North,  in  SepUmiber  and  October ;  great  numbers  remain- 
ing with  lis  in  Pennsylvania  during  tlie  whole  winter,  feeding  on 
the  seeds  of  the  poplar,  button-wood,  juniper,  cedar,  and  on  those 
of  many  rank  wcods  that  flourish  in  rich  bottoms  and  along  the 
margin  of  creeks.  When  the  season  is  very  severe,  they  proceed 
to  the  South,  as  far  at  least  as  Georgia,  returning  North  early  in 
April.  They  now  frequent  the  elm-trees,  feeding  on  tlie  slender 
but  sweet  covering  of  the  flowers  ;  and,  as  soon  m  the  cherries  put 
out  their  blossoms,  feed  almost  exclusively  on  the  stamina  of  the 
flowers :  afterwards,  the  apple-blossoms  are  attacked  in  the  same 
manner ;  and  their  depredations  on  these  continue  till  they  disap- 
pear, which  is  usually  about  the  10th  or  middle  of  May.  I  have 
been  told  that  they  sometimes  breed  in  the  northern  parts  of  New 
York,  but  have  never  met  with  their  nests.  About  the  middle  of 
September,  I  found  these  birds  numerous  on  Long  Island,  and 
around  Newark  in  New  Jersey.  They  fly  at  a  considerable  height 
in  tlie  air ;  and  their  note  is  a  single  chink,  like  that  of  the  Rice- 
bird.  They  possess  great  boldness  nnd  spirit,  and,  when  caught, 
bite  violently,  and  hang  by  the  bill  from  your  hand,  striking  with 
great  fury ;  but  they  are  soon  reconciled  to  confinement,  and  in  a 
day  or  two  are  quite  at  home.  I  have  kept  a  pair  of  these  birds 
upwards  of  nine  months  to  observe  their  manners.  One  wag  caught 
in  a  trap,  the  other  was  winged  with  the  gun :  both  are  now  as 
familiar  as  if  brought  up  from  the  nest  by  the  hand,  and  seem  to 
prefer  hemp-seed  and  cherry-blossoms  to  all  other  kinds  of  food. 
Both  male  and  female,  though  not  crested,  are  almost  constantly 
in  the  habit  of  erecting  the  feathers  of  the  crown.  They  appear  to 
be  of  a  tyrannical  and  domineering  disposition :    for  they  nearly 


IB 
IP 


■ 


■■■ 


ii^-^ 


288 


ORNITHOLOOT  AND  OOLOGY. 


killed  an  Indigo-bird,  and  two  or  three  others,  that  v/ere  occasion- 
ally placed  with  them,  driving  them  into  a  corner  of  the  cage, 
standing  on  them,  and  tearing  oat  their  feathers,  striking  them  on 
the  head,  munching  their  wings,  &c.,  till  I  was  obliged  to  interfere; 
and,  even  if  called  to,  the  aggressor  would  only  turn  up  a  malicious 
eye  to  me  for  a  moment,  and  renew  his  outrage  as  before.    They  are 
a  hardy,  vigorous  bird.     In  the  month  of  October,  about  the  time 
of  their  first  arrival.  I  shot  a  male,  rich  in  plumage,  and  plump  in 
flesh,  but  which  wanted  one  leg,  that  had  been  taken  off  a  little 
above  the  knee :  the  wound  had  healed  so  completely,  and  /was 
covered  with  so  thick  a  skin,  that  it  seemed  as  though  it  had  been 
so  for  years.     Whether  this  mutilation  was  occasioned  by  a  shot,  or 
in  party  quarrels  of  its  own,  I  could  not  determine :  but  our  invalid 
seemed  to  have  used  his  stump  either  in  hopping  or  resting ;  for  it 
had  all  the  appearance  of  having  been  brought  in  frequent  contact 
with  bodies  harder  than  itself." 

CHRYSOMITRIS,  Boib. 

Chrytomilris,  BolE,  Isis  (1828),  822.  (Type  FringiUa  ^nu»,  Linnseus.) 
Bill  rather  acutely  conic,  the  tip  not  very  sharp;  the  culmen  slightly  convex  at 
the  tip;  the  commissure  gently  curved;  nostrils  concealed;  obsolete  ridges  on  the 
upper  mandible;  tarsi  shorter  than  the  middle  toe;  outer  toe  rather  the  longer, 
reaching  to  the  base  of  the  middle  one;  claw  of  hind  too  shorter  than  the  digital 
portion;  wings  and  tail  as  in  Atgiothus. 

The  colors  are  generally  yellow,  with  black  on  the  crown,  throat,  back,  wings, 
and  tail,  varied  sometimes  with  white. 


CHBTSOMITEIS  TEI8TIS. — Bonapartt. 
/.  The  Tellow-bird;  Thi»Ue-blrd.— 
FringUla  iriitis,  Linnsens.  Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1766)  820.    Wils.  Am.  Om.,  I.  (1808)  20. 
Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  I.  (1881)  172;  V.  610. 

'  DESCBipnoir. 

Bright  gam'ooge-yellow,  crown,  wings,  and  tail,  black;  lesser  wing  covert*, 
band  acrow  the  end  of  greater  ones,  ends  of  secondaries  and  tertiaries,  inner  mar- 
gins of  tail  feathers,  upper  and  under  tail  coverts,  and  tibia,  white.  Female  re- 
placing the  yellow  of  the  male  by  a  greenish-olive  color. 

Length,  five  and  twenty-five  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  three  inches. 

This  well-known  bird  is  a  very  common  summer  inhab- 
itant of  all  New  England,  and  in  the  southern  districts 


re  occasion- 
f  the  cage, 
ng  them  on 

0  interfere ; 
a  malicious 
.  They  are 
ut  the  time 
id  plump  in 

1  off  a  little 
ly,  and  -was 
it  had  been 
3j  a  shot,  or 
t  our  invalid 
isting ;  for  it 
uent  contact 


neeos.) 

;htly  convex  at 
:e  ridges  on  tho 
ther  the  longer, 
than  the  digital 

lat,  back,  vrings. 


)m.,  I.  (1808)  20. 


er  wing  covert*, 
iaries,  inner  mar- 
lite.    Female  re- 

B  inches. 

mmer  inhab- 
ern  districts 


THE   YELLOW-BIRD. 


289 


remains  through  the  year.    NotwithHtanding  its  being  here 

tlirough  the  early  spring,  it  does  not  begin  to  build  before 

the  middle  of  June.     The  earliest  nest  that  I  ever  heard  of 

was  found  June  the  10th,  and  very  few  are  found  as  early 

as  the  middle  of  that  month.     The  nest  is  usually  placed  in 

a  forked  branch  in  an  apple-tree  in  the  orchard,  sometimes 

in  a  maple  or  birch  tree  near  the  roadside.    It  is  constructed 

of  soft  strips  of  the  cedar  and  grape-vine  bark :  these  "are 

very  neatly  woven  together  into  a  compact  structure,  which 

is  deeply  hollowed,  and  lined  with  soft  down  from  the 

thistle,  and  sometimes  a  few  feathers.      The    eggs   are 

usually   four  in  number:    their  form  is  generally  oval, 

and  thei*  color  a  bluish-white.     Dimensions  vary  from  .68 

by  .53  inch  to  .62  by  .50  inch.    Bui    ue  brood  is  reared  in 

the  summer. 

The  habits  of  this  bird  are  so  well  known  that  I  will  not 
give  them  an  extended  notice  here.  It  seems  to  be  a  per- 
sistently gregarious  species:  for,  even  in  the  breeding 
season,  several  families  are  usually  found  in  one  neighbor- 
hood; and  the  males  often  assemble  together,  and  pass  the 
time  in  collecting  food,  trimming  their  feathers,  and  bath- 
ing. In  fact,  this  bird  seems  to  be  more  of  a  dandy,  and 
consequently  less  of  a  family  man,  than  most  of  our  other 
Epecies ;  and  I  have  noticed  that  he  leaves  the  greater  part 
of  the  burden  of  the  family  cares  upon  the  shoulders  of  his 
attentive  mate. 

When  the  season  of  incubation  has  passed,  the  birds 
assemble  in  flocks  of  from  ten  to  twenty  or  thirty  in  num- 
ber, and  frequent  the  gardens  and  stubble-fields,  where  they 
subsist  upon  the  seeds  of  various  weeds  and  grasses.  They 
have  a  short  note  like  che  tvSee,  which  is  uttered  often, 
sometimes  in  a  drawling,  plaintive  key,  and  at  other  times 
in  a  brisk,  cheerful  tone.  .  Their  flight  is  undulating  and 
irregular,  and  resembles  very  much  that  of  the  Wood- 
peckers. When  on  the  wing,  they  have  a  short,  simple 
chatter,  like  'che  'cJj  'che  'che,  uttered  rapidly,  and  with 

19 


290 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY, 


emphasis  on  the  second  syllable.  Occasionally,  the  male 
emits  a  continued  warbling  sohg,  very  similar  to  that  of  the 
Canary-bird ;  and  I  have  heard  one  of  this  species  sing  in 
confinement  almost  as  sweetly  and  often  ls  its  more  familiar 
and  domesticated  relative. 

CHKTSOMITBIS  VVSJJS.— Sonaparte. 
»        The  Pine  Finoh. 

Fnngittapimu,  Wilson.    Am.  Cm.,  11.  (1810)  188.    Aud.  Cm.  Biog.,  H.  (1884) 

466;  V.  509. 

CArjwmitrwinntM,  Bonaparte.    Consp.  (1860),  616. 

Description. 

Tail  deeply  forked;  above  brownish-olive;  beneath  whitish,  every  feather 
streaked  distinctly  with  dusky;  concealed  bases  of  tail  feathers  and  quills,  together 
with  their  inner  edges,  sulptiur-yellow;  outer  edges  of  quills  and  tail  feathers  >el- 
lowish-green;  two  brownish-white  bands  on  the  wing. 

Length,  four  and  seventy-five  on6-hundredths  inches;  wing,  three  inches;  tail, 
two  and  twenty  one-hundredths  inches. 

This  bird  is  found  in  New  England,  usually  as  a  winter 
visitor.  While  here,  it  has  all  the  habits  of  the  preceding 
species,  and  might,  at  a  little  distance,  be  mistaken  for  that 
bird.  The  Pine  Finch,  as  its  name  implies,  prefers  the 
groves  and  forests  of  pines  to  other  trees ;  and  it  is  found  in 
all  our  pine  woods  in  flocks  of  twenty  or  thirty,  where  it 
feeds  on  the  seeds  contained  in  the  cones  on  these  trees. 
It  has  been  known  to  breed  in  Cambridge,  in  this  State  ;  and 
breeds  regularly  in  the  northern  sections  of  New  England. 


CURVIROSTRA,  Scopou. 

Loxia,  LiNN^us,  Syst  Nat,  1768,  (Type  Loxia  curmrostra,  L.  Not  of  1785, 
which  has  for  tvpe  Loxia  coccolhrmuta,  L.) 

Ci«mro««ro,"ScopoLi,  1777.    (Type  L.  cartirottra.) 

Mandibles  much  elongated,  compressed,  and  attenuated;  greatly  curved  or 
fclcate,  the  po'r.U  crossing  or  overlapping  to  a  greater  or  less  degree;  tarsi  verj' 
short;  claws  all  very  long,  the  lateral  extending  beyond  the  middle  of  the  central; 
hind  claw  longer  than  its  digit;  wings  very  long  and  pointed,  reaching  beyond  the 
middle  of  the  narrow,  forked  tail. 

Colors  reddish  in  the  male. 


,  the  male 
that  of  the 
:ii3S  sing  ia 
ore  familiar 


Biog.,  n.  (1884) 


1,  every  feather 
1  quills,  together 
tail  feathers  yel- 

iree  inches;  tail. 


■  as  a  winter 
le  preceding 
iken  for  that 

prefers  the 
t  is  found  in 
•ty,  where  it 

these  trees, 
s  State  ;  and 
w  England. 


L.   Not  of  1785, 


^atly  carved  or 
Jegree;  tarsi  very 
jle  of  the  central ; 
ching  beyond  the 


THE  BED   CROSSBILL. 


291 


The  elongated,  compressed,  ihlcate-curved,  and  overlapping  mandibles  readily 
characterize  this  genus  among  birds. 

The  United-States  species  of  CSirvirottra  are  readily  distinguished  by  the  pr«»- 
•nee  of  white  bands  on  ths  wing  in  Leucoptera  and  their  absence  in  Americana. 


CnaVIBOSTEA  AHERICAKA.  —  JFtbon. 

The  Bed  Croubill. 

CuTvirotlra  Americana,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  FV.  (1811)  44. 
Loxia  atrvirostra.    And.  Biog.,  11.  (1884)  659;  V.  511. 

Descriftiom. 

Male  dull-red ;  darkest  across  the  back ;  wings  and  tail  dark  blackish-brown. 

Female  dull  greenish-olive  above,  each  feather  with  a  dusky  centre;  rump  and 
crown  bright  greenish-yellow;  beneath  grayish ;  tinged,  especially  on  the  sides  of 
the  body,  with  greenish-yellow;  young  entirely  brown;  paler  beneath. 

The  immature  and  young  birds  exhibit  all  imaginable  combinations  of  the  coloia 
of  the  male  and  female.  They  all  agree  in  the  entire  absence  of  white  bands  on 
the  wings. 

Male  about  six  inches;  wing,  three  and  thirty  one-hondredths  inches;  tail,  two 
and  t\v..aty-five  one-hundredths  mches. 

This  hird  is  very  irregularly  distributed  in  New  Eng- 
land, usually  as  a  winter  visitor.  Sometimes  it  is  quite 
rare  at  that  season  in  all  sections ;  and  occasionally  it 
is  very  alnndant.  It  also  occurs  here  during  the  sum- 
mer, breeding  regularly  in  the  pine  and  hemlock  forests  of 
the  northern  sections.  Wilson  says  of  the  habits  of  this 
bird,  — 

"  X)n  first  glancing  at  the  bill  of  this  extraordinary  bird,  one  is 
apt  to  pronounce  it  ''.eformed  and  monstrous :  but  on  attentively 
observing  the  use  to  which  it  is  applied  by  the  owner,  and  the  dex- 
terity with  which  he  detaches  the  seeds  of  the  pine-tree  from  the 
cone,  and  from  the  husks  that  enclose  them,  we  are  obhged  to  con- 
fess, 6n  this,  as  on  many  other  occasions  where  we  have  judged 
too  hastily  of  the  operations  of  nature,  that  no  other  conformation 
could  have  been  so  excellently  adapted  to  the  purpose ;  and  that 
its  deviation  from  the  common  form,  instead  of  being  a  defect  or 
monstrosity,  as  the  celebrated  Frerch  naturalist  insinuates,  is  a 
striking  proof  of  the  wisdom  and  kind  superintending  care  of  the 
great  Creator. 


Jj 


292 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND   OOLOOT. 


"This  species  is  a  regular  inhabitant,  of  almost  all  our  pine 
forests  situated  north  of  40°,  from  th.>  beginning  of  September  to 
the  middle  of  April.    It  is  not  improbable  that  some  of  them  re- 
main during  the  summer  within  the  territory  of  the  United  States 
to  breed.     Their  numbers  must,  however,  be  comparatively  few,  as 
I  have  never  yet  met  with  any  of  them  in  summer,  though  lately 
I  took  a  journey  to  the  Great  Pine  Swamp  beyond  Pocano  Moun- 
tain, in  Northampton  County,  Pa.,  in  the  month  of  May,  expressly 
for  that  purpose;    and  ransacked,   for  six   or  seven   days,   the 
gloomy  recesses  of  that  extensive  and  desolate  morass,  without 
being  able  to  discover  a  single  Crossbill.    In  fall,  however,  as 
well  as  in  winter  and  spring,  this  tract  appears  to  be  their  favorite 
rendezvous ;  particularly  about  the  head  waters  of  the  Lehigh,  the 
banks  of  the  Tobyhanna,  Tunkhannock,  and  Bear  Creek,  where  I 
have  myself  killed  them  at  these  seasons.    They  then  appear  in 
large  flocks,  feeding  on  the  seeds  of  the  hemlock  and  white-pine ; 
have  a  loud,  sharp,  and  not  unmusical  note ;  chatter  as  they  fly , 
alight,  during  the  prevalence  of  deep  snows,  before  the  door  of  tho 
hunter,  and  around  the  house,  picking  off  the  clay  with  which 
the  logs  are  plastered,  and  searching  in  corners  where  urine,  or  any 
substance  of  a  saline  quality,  had  been  thrown.    At  such  times, 
they  are  so  tame  as  only  to  settle  on  the  roof  of  the  cabin  when 
disturbed,  and,  a  moment  after,  descend  to  feed  as  before.    They 
are  then  easily  caught  in  traps,  and  will  frequently  permit  one  to 
approach  so  near  as  to  knock  them  down  with  a  stick.    Those 
killed  and  opened  at  such  times  are  generally  found  to  have  the 
stomach  filled  with  a  soft,  greasy  kind  of  earth  or  clay.    When 
kept  in  a  cage,  they  have  many  of  the  habits  of  the  Parrot ;  often 
climbing  along  the  wires,  and  using  their  feet  to  grasp  the  cones  in, 
while  taking  out  the  seeds." 

Nuttall  says  of  its  breeding  habits,  — 

"  They  often  breed  in  winter  in  more  template  countries,  as  in 
January  and  February ;  and  the  young  fly  in  March.  The  nest 
is  said  to  be  fixed  in  the  forks  of  fir-trees ;  and  the  eggs,  four  or 
five,  are  of  a  greenish-gray,  with  a  circle  of  reddish-brown  spots, 
points,  and  lines,  disposed  chiefly  at  the  larger  end :  the  lines  also 
often  extend  over  the  whole  surface  of  the  egg." 


THE   WHITE-WINGED   CROSSBILL. 


298 


ill  our  pine 
jptember  to 
of  them  re- 
nited  States 
ively  few,  as 
lough  lately 
cano  Moun- 
y,  expressly 
1  days,  the 
ass,  without 
however,  as 
heir  favorite 

Lehigh,  the 
!ek,  where  I 
in  appear  in 
1  white-pine ; 
as  they  fly , 
)  door  of  tho 

with  whicli 
urine,  or  any 
,  such  times, 
3  cabin  when 
efore.  They 
ermit  one  to 
itick.    Those 

to  have  the 
clay.  When 
Parrot ;  often 
the  cones  in, 


mntries,  as  m 
h.  The  nest 
eggs,  four  or 
-brown  spots, 
bhe  lines  also 


CDBYIBOSTRA  LEUCOPTEBA.—  Wilion. 

Tht  White-winged  Crogsbill. 

Loxia  leucoptera,  Audubon.    Orn.  Biog.,  IV.  (1838)  467. 
Curvirostra  Uucoptera,  Wilson.    Am.  Orn.,  IV.  (1811)  48. 

DEBCniPTION. 

Bill  greatly  compressed,  and  acute  towards  the  point ;  male  cannine-red,  tinged 
with  dusky  across  the  back;  the  sides  of  body  under  the  wings  streaked  with 
brown;  from  the  middle  of  belly  to  the  Uil  coverts  whitish,  the  latter  streaked 
with  brown;  scapulars,  wings,  and  tail,  black;  the  broad  bands  on  the  v/ing» 
■cross  the  ends  of  greater  and  median  coverts;  white  spots  on  the  end  of  the  inner 
tertiaries. 

Female  brownish,  tinged  with  olive-green  in  places;  feathers  of  the  back  and 
crown  with  dusky  centres;  rump  bright  brownish-yellow. 

Length,  about  six  and  twenty-five  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  three  and  fifty 
one-hundredths  inches;  tail,  two  and  sixty  one-hundrcdths  inches. 

This  beautiful  bird  seems  to 
be  much  less  frequent  in  its 
winter  visits  to  New  England 
than  tho  preceding.  It  has  all 
the  general  characteristics  of 
that  bird.  In  May,  in  the  Hud- 
son's Bay  country,  according 
to  Mr.  Hutchins,  it  builds  its 
nest  in  a  pine-tree.  This  is 
constructed  of  grass,  mud,  and 
feathers,  and  is  lined  with  moss 
and  other  soft  materials.  The 
female  lays  five  white  eggs, 
marked  with  yellowish  spots. 

• 

iEGIOTHDS,  Cabakis. 

^giothui,  CADANia,  Mus.  Hein.,  1861, 161.  (Type  Fringilla  Unaria,  Linn.) 
Bill  very  short,  conical,  and  acutely  pointed,  the  outlines  oven  concave;  the 
commissure  straight;  the  base  of  the  upper  mandible  and  the  nostrils  concealed  by 
Btitr,  appressed  bristly  feathers;  middle  of  the  mandible  having  several  ridges 
parallel  with  the  culmen;  inner  lateral  toe  rather  the  longer,  iu  claw  reaching  the 
middle  of  the  middle  claw;  the'hind  toe  rather  longer,  its  claw  longer  than  the  digi- 
tal portion;  wings  very  long,  reaching  the  middle  of  the  tail;  second  qfiill  a  little 
longer  than  the  first  and  third;  tail  deeply  forked. 


i 


294 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   CtOLOQY. 


JEQIOTHDS  LIHABIA.  —  CabanU. 
The  Lesier  BedpoU. 

FHngilla  lifutria,  LinnaiUB.    Sy.t.  Nat..  I.  (1766)  822.    Aud.  Cm.  Biog.,  IV. 

1888)  533. 
^giothuiUnaria,  Cabaaia.    Mu«.  Hein.  (1861),  161. 

Descwption. 
Above  light-yellowish,  each  feather  atreaked  with  dark-brown;  crown  daik- 
crimson;  upper  part  of  breast  and  sides  of  the  body  tinged  with  a  lighter  tint  of  the 
Mime;  the  rump  and  mider  tail  coverts  also  similar,  but  still  less  viv.d,  and  with 
dusky  streaks;  rest  of  under  parts  white,  streaked  on  the  sides  with  brown;  Joral 
recion  and  chin  dusky;  cheeks  (brightest  over  the  eye),  and  a  narrow  front, 
whitish;  wing  feathers  edged  externally,  and  fail  feathers  all  round  with  white;  two 
vellowish-white  bands  across  the  wing  coverts;  secondaries  and  tertiaries  edged 
broadly  with  the  same;  bill  yellowish,  tinged  with  brown  on  the  culmen  and 
Konvs;  the  basal  bristles  brown,  reaching  over  half  the  bill. 

The  specimen  described  above  is  a  male  in  winter  dress.  The  spring  plumage 
bas  much  more  of  the  red.  The  female  winter  specimens  lack  the  rose  o«  the 
under  parU  and  rump;  the  breast  is  streaked  across  wiUi  dusky. 

T.ength,  Ave  and  fifty  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  three  and  ten  one-hundredth* 
ii-jiias;  tail,  two  and  seventy  one-hundredths  inches. 

This  species  is  a  pretty  common  winter  visitor  in  all  parts 
of  New  England.  It  congregates  in  large  flocks,  which 
frequent  old  fields  and  pastures  and  stubble-fields,  and  feed 
on  the  seeds  of  weeds  and  grasses.  It  has,  while  with  us, 
the  note  and  general  habits  of  the  Goldfinch  and  Pine 
Finch,  and  might  easily,  at  a  little  distance,  be  mistaken  for 
those  birds.  They  seem  fond  of  the  seeds  of  the  white 
birch ;  and  they  cluster  so  thick  on  a  branch  of  this  tree, 
while  securing  the  seeds,  that  I  have  killed  as  many  as  a 
dozen  at  a  shot.  Mr.'  Selby's  account  of  the  nest  and  eggs 
is  as  follows :  — 

"  It  is  only  known  m  the  southern  parts  of  Britain  as  a  winter 
visitant ;  and  is  at  that  period  gregacious,  and  frequently  taken,  in 
company  with  the  other  species,  by  the  bird-catchers,  by  whom  it  is 
called  the  Stone  Redpoll.  In  the  northern  counties  of  England, 
and  in  Scotland  and  its  isles,  it  is  resident  through  the  year.  It 
retires,  during  the  summer,  to  the  underwood  that  covers  the  bases 
of  many  of  our  mountains  and  hills,  and  that  often  fringes  the 


■^^kfr      '>^»li('»<)^ 


Biog.,  IV. 


crown  daik- 
er  tint  of  the 
vid,  and  with 

brown;  Joral 
narrow  front, 
th  white  i  two 
rtiaries  edged 
a  culmen  and 

pring  plumage 
le  rose  ot   the 

ne-hundredtha 


n  all  parts 
3k8,  which 
3,  and  feed 
ie  with  us, 

and  Pine 
istaken  for 

the  white 
F  this  tree, 
many  as  a 
t  and  eggs 


as  a  winter 
d\y  taken,  in 
ly  whom  it  is 

of  England, 
he  year.  It 
ers  the  bases 
I  fringes  the 


-iprai 


THE   MEALY  BEDPOLL. 


295 


banks  of  their  precipitous  streams;  in  which  sequestered  situa- 
tions it  breeds.  The  nest  is  bnilt  in  a  bush  or  low  tree  (such  as 
willow,  alder,  or  hazel),  of  moss  and  the  stalks  of  dry  grass,  inter- 
mixed with  down  from  the  catkin  of  the  willow,  which  also  forms 
the  lining,  and  renders  it  a  particularly  soft  and  warm  receptacle 
for  the  eggs  and  young.  From  this  substance  being  a  constant 
material  of  the  nest,  it  follows  that  the  young  are  produced  late 
in  the  season,  and  are  seldom  able  to  fly  before  the  end  of  June  or 
the  beginning  of  July.  The  eggs  are  four  or  five  in  number :  their 
color  pale  bluish-green,  spotted  with  orange-brown,  principally 
towards  the  larger  end.  In  winter,  the  Lesser  Redpoll  descends  to 
the  lower  grounds  in  considerable  flocks ;  frequenting  woods  and 
plantations,  more  especially  such  as  abound  in  birch  or  alder  trees, 
the  catkins  of  which  yield  it  a  plentiful  supply  of  food.  When 
feeding,  its  motion  aflfords  both  interest  and  amusement ;  since,  in 
order  to  reach  the  catkins,  which  generally  grow  near  the  extremi- 
ties of  the  smaller  branches,  it  is  obliged,  like  the  Titmouse,  to 
hang  with  ita  back  downwards,  and  assume  a  variety  of  constrained 
attitudes :  aud,  when  thus  engaged,  it  is  so  intent  upon  its  work,  as 
frequently  to  allow  itself  to  be  taken  by  a  long  stick  smeared  with 
bird-lime ;  in  which  way  I  have  occasionally  captured  it  when  in 
want  of  specimens  for  examination.  It  also  eats  the  buds  of  trees, 
and  (when  in  flocks)  proves  in  this  way  seriously  injurious  to 
young  plantations.  Its  call-note  is  very  frequently  repeated  when 
on  wing,  and  by  this  it  may  be  always  distinguished  from  the  other 
species.  The  notes  it  produces  .during  the  pairing  season,  although 
few,  and  not  delivered  in  continuous  song,  are  sweet  and  pleasing." 

JEGI0THII3  CAHESCKNS.— Ctiianu. 
The  Vealy  Redpoll. 

^giothvs  caneteeriM,  Cabanis.    Mug.  Hein.  (1861),  161. 
tFringiaabortaU$,A\iA\ihon.    Om.  Biog.,  V.  (1889)  87. 

Descriptmn. 
Size  large;  bill  short;  claws  elongated;  rump  white  (in  the  spring,  male  tinged 
with  rose),  never  streaked ;  the  quills  broadly  margined  with  white. 
Length,  six  inches;  tail,  three  and  seventeen  one-handredtha. 

This  bird  occurs  only  as  an  exceedingly  rare  winter  visi- 
tor in  New  England.    I  have  never  met  with  it  myself,  but 


im 


gp»-* 


I 


296 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGV. 


Mr.  Verrill  says  that  it  is  found  rarely  in  Maine.  It  is  con- 
sidered by  some  ornithologists  as  identical  with  the  pre- 
ceding. 

PLECTROPHANES,  Meykr. 

K«tn5,»<m«.,  Meykr,  Taschenbuch  (1810).  Agassiz.  (Type  £m*«ma  «foa/u.) 
Bill  variable,  conical,  the  lower  mandible  higher  than  the  upper;  the  wdeg  of 
both  mandibles  (in  the  typical  .pecicB)  guarded  by  a  closely  applied  bru.h  "f  »t,ffened 
bristly  feathers  directed  forwards,  and  in  the  upper  jaw  concealmg  the  nostrils,  the 
outlines  of  the  bill  nearly  straight,  or  slightly  curved;  the  lower  jaw  considerably 
broader  at  the  base  than  the  upper,  and  wider  than  the  gony.  is  long;  tarsi  cAnsid- 
ablv  longer  than  the  middle  toe;  the  lateral  toes  nearly  equal  (the  inner  claw 
largest),  and  reaching  to  the  base  of  the  middle  claw,  the  hinder  claw  very  long, 
moderately  curved  and  acute;  considerably  longer  than  its  toe,  the  toe  and  claw 
together  reaching  to  the  middle  of  the  middle  claw,  or  beyond  its  tip,  wmgs  very 
long  and  much  pointed,  reaching  nearly  to  the  end  of  the  tad ,  the  first  qu.U  longes 
the  others  rapidly  graduated;  the  tertiaries  a  little  longer  than  the  secondanes;  tail 
moderate,  about  two-thirds  as  long  as  th?  wings,  nearly  even,  or  ihghUy  emwg- 
nated. 

PLECTEOPHAHBS  HIVAUS.  —  Meyer. 
The  Snow  Bunting. 

Embtriza  nivalU,  Linnteus.     Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1766)  808. 
(1811)  86;  Aud.  Cm.  Biog.,  II.  (1834)  616;  V.  (1889)  498. 
"PUctrophanet  nivalu,  Meyer."    Bon.  List  (1838). 

Dbscriftiom. 
Colors,  in  full  plumage,  entirely  black  and  white;  middle  of  back  between  wapu- 
lars  terminal  half  of  primaries  and  tertiaries,  and  two  innermost  toil  feathers,  blnck  ; 
elsewhere  pure-white;  legs  black  at  all  seSsons.  In  winter  dress  white  beneath; 
the  head  and  rump  yellowish-brown,  as  also  some  blotches  on  the  side  of  the  breast, 
middle  of  back  brown,  streaked  with  black,  white  on  wing,  and  toil  much  more 

***  Thil  species  varies  much  in  color ;  and  the  male  in  full  pi"  iiage  is  seldom,  if  ever, 
seen  within  the  limits  of  the  United  States.  .  ,^,^ 

Length,  about  six  and  seventy-five  one-hundredths  inches ;  wing,  four  and  thirty- 
five  one-hundredths;  tail,  tiiree  and  five  one-hundredths  inches;  first  quiU  longest 

This  is  a  very  common  winter  visitor  in  all  parts  of  New 
England,  but  is  most  abundant  in  localities  near  the  sear 
coast.  I  have  seen  flocks  of  hundreds  of  individuals  in  the 
marshes  in  Plymouth  County,  Mass.,  and  have  almost 
always  noticed  that  they  were  accompanied  by  Shore-larks 
and  Redpolls.    They  feed  on  seeds  of  variou.-*  wild  plants 


Wils.  Am.  Om.,  HI. 


^ 


It  is  con- 
L  the  pre- 


beriza  nivalii.) 
;  the  (ides  ot" 
ish  of  Btiffened 
le  nostrilo ;  the 
V  considerably 
: ;  tarsi  cdnsld- 
Lhe  inner  claw 
law  very  long; 
J  toe  and  claw 
ip(  wings  very 
It  quill  longest, 
condaries;  tail 
lightly  emargi- 


Am.  Om.,  ni. 


between  scapa- 
feathers,  blnck ; 
white  beneath; 
le  of  the  breast; 
tail  much  more 

I  seldom,  if  ever, 

I  four  and  thirty- 
it  quill  longest 

irts  of  Ne\f 
3ar  the  sea- 
duala  in  the 
lave  almost 
Shore-larks 
wild  plants 


iP 


THE   SNOW   BUNTING. 


297 


and  small  shell-fish,  and  become,  during  their  stay  hero, 
very  fat,  and  are  accounted  as  delicate  eating  by  epicures, 
for  whose  tables  they  are  killed  in  great  numbers. 

The  following  interesting  account  of  tlio  habits  of  this 
species  is  by  Wilson.  It  is  partly  compiled  from  tlie  observa- 
tions of  Mr.  Pennant :  — 

"  These  birds,"  says  Mr.  Pennant,  "  inhabit,  not  only  Greenland, 
but  even  the  dreadful  climate  of  Spitzbergen,  where  vegetation  is 
nearly  extinct,  and  scarcely  any  but 
cryptogamous  plants  are  found.  It 
therefore  excites  wonder,  how  birds 
which  are  graminivorous  in  every 
other  than  those  frost-bound  regions 
subsist,  yet  are  there  found  in  great 
flocks,  both  on  the  land  and  ice  of 
Spitzbergen.  They  annually  pass 
to  this  country  by  way  of  Norway ; 
for,  in  the  spring,  flocks  innumer- 
able appear,  especially  on  the  Nor- 
wegian isles,  continue  only  three 
weeks,  and  then  at  once  disappear. 
As  they  do  not  breed  in  Hudson's 
Bay,  it  is  certain  that  many  retreat 
to  this  last  of  lands,  and  totally  uninhabited,  to  perform,  in  full 
security,  the  duties  of  love,  incubation,  and  nutrition.  That  they 
breed  in  Spitzbergen  is  very  probable;  but  we  are  assured  that 
they  do  so  in  Greenland.  They  arrive  there  in  April,  and  make 
their  nests  in  the  flssures  of  the  rocks  on  the  mountains  in  May : 
the  outside  of  their  nest  is  grass,  the  middle  of  feathers,  and  the 
lining  the  down  of  the  arctic  fox.  They  lay  five  eggs,  —  white, 
spotted  with  brown :  they  sing  finely  near  their  nest.. 

"  They  are  caught  by  the  boys  in  autumn,  when  they  collect 
near  the  shores  in  great  flocks,  in  order  to  migrate,  and  are  eaten 
dried. 

"  In  Europe,  they  inhabit,  during  summer,  the  most  naked  Lap- 
land alps ;  and  descend  in  rigorous  seasons  into  Sweden,  and  fill  the 
roads  and  fields,  —  on  which  account  the  Dalecarlians  call  them 


LJ'W* 


mtwimiinifffffBrit-y^' 


M 


S98 


OBNITIIOLOQY  AND  OOLOGY. 


mwar$fogel,  or  bud-weather  birds;  the  rnlandors,  ffardtcar,. 
fogel,  expreMive  of  the  same.  The  Laj-landers  stylo  them  Ala,pg. 
Leems  mr  v  s,  T  Icnow  not  with  what  foundation,  that  tl.cy  fatten 
on  thf  ftov.a.,'  o]  llio  tides  in  Finmurk,  and  grow  lean  on  the  ebb. 
Tlio  i.ai.Iau  ■'  .  ike  them  in  great  numbers  in  hair  springs,  for  the 
tables }  their  flesh  being  very  delicate.  ^ 

"They  seem  to  make  the  countries  within  the  whole  arctic  circle 
their  summer  residence,  from  whence  they  overflow  the  more  south- 
ern countries  in  amazing  multitudes  at  the  setting-in  ot  wmtor  in 
the  frigid  zone.  In  the  wi.ter  of  :  ^78-79,  they  came  in  such  mul- 
titudes into  B.rsa,  quo  of  the  Orkney  Islau:'- ,  as  to  cov^r  the  whole 
barony ;  yet,  of  all  the  numbers,  hardly  two  agreed  m  colors. 

"Lapland,  and  perhaps  Iceland,  furnishes  the  north  of  Bntam 
with  the  swarms  that  frequent  these  parts  during  winter,  as  l.)W 
as  the  Cheviot  Hills,  in  latitude  52^32';  their  resting,' places,  the 
Feroe  Isles,  Shetland,  and  the  Orkneys.  The  Highlands  of  Scot- 
land, in  particular,  abound  with  them.  Their  flights  are  immense ; 
and  they  mingle  so  closely  together  in  form  of  a  ball,  that  the 
fowlers  make  great  havoc  among  them.  They  arrive  lean,  soon 
become  very  fat,  and  are  delicious  food.  They  either  arrive  m  the 
Highlands  very  early,  or  a  few  breed  there ;  for  I  had  one  shot  for 
me,  at  Invercauld,  the  4th  of  August.  But  there  is  a  certainty  of 
their  migration;  for  multitudes  of  tluua  fall,  weario'l  with  their 
passage,  on   the  vessels  that  are  saUing  through   the   Pentland 

'« In  their  summer  dress,  they  are  sometimes  seen  in  the  south  of 
England,  the  climate  not  having  severity  sufficient  to  affect  the 
colors;  yet  now  and  then  a  milk-white  one  appears,  which  is 
usually  mistaken  for  a  while  Lark. 

"Russia  and  Siberia  receive  them  in  their  severe  seasons 
annually,  in  amazing  flocks,  overflowing  almost  all  Russia.  They 
frequent  the  villages,  and  yield  a  most  luxurious  repast.  They  vary 
there  infinitely  in  their  winter  colors,  are  pure-white,  speckled,  and 
even  quite  brown.  This  seems  to  be  the  influence  of  difference  of 
age,  more  than  of  season.  Germany  has  also  its  share  of  them. 
-  In  Austria,  they  are  caught  and  fed  with  millet,  and  afford  the 
epicure  a  treat  equal  to  that  of  the  Ortolan. 

»  These  birds  appear  in  Ae  northern  dUtricts  of  the  Umted  States 


THK   SNOW    nUNTlNQ. 


299 


irdtvars- 
Alaipg- 
)y  fattea 
the  ebb. 
1,  for  the 

tie  circle 
re  Boutli- 
viiiter  iu 
uch  mul- 
he  wholo 
ijrs. 

f  Britain 
r,  88  low 
laces,  the 

of  Scot- 
inimenso ; 
,  that  the 
ean,  sooa 
ive  in  the 
le  shot  for 
rtainty  of 
vith  their 

Pentland 

e  south  of 

affect  the 

which   is 

re  seasons 
lia.  They 
They  vary 
3ckled,  and 
fference  of 
e  of  them, 
afford  the 

lited  Stotes 


••rly  in  Docembor,  or  with  the  first  heavy  snow,  particularly  if 
drifted  by  high  winds.  They  are  usuiilly  palled  the  \Vhite  Snowbird, 
to  ^tinguish  them  from  the  small  darlt-bluish  Snowbird  already 
described.  Their  numl)er8  increuHo  with  the  increasing  severity  of 
weather,  and  depth  of  snow.  Flocks  of  them  sometimes  reach  as 
far  south  as  the  borders  of  Maryland ;  and  the  whiteness  of  their 
plumage  is  observed  to  be  greatest  towards  the  depth  of  winter. 
They  spread  over  the  Genesee  country  and  tlie  interior  of  tiio 
District  of  Maine,  flying  in  close,  compact  bodies,  driving  about 
most  in  a  high  wind ;  sometimes  alighting  near  the  doors,  but  sel- 
dom sitting  long,  being  a  roving,  restless  bird.  In  these  plentiful 
regions,  where  more  valuable  game  is  abundant,  they  hold  out  no 
temptation  to  the  sportsman  or  hunter ;  and,  except  the  few  caught 
by  boys  in  snares,  no  other  attention  is  paid  to  them.  They  are, 
however,  universally  considered  as  the  harbingers  of  severe  cold 
weather.  How  far  westward  they  extend  I  am  unable  to  say. 
One  of  the  most  intelligent  and  expert  hunters,  who  accompanied 
Captains  Lewis  and  ('lark  on  their  expedition  to  the  Pacific  Ocean, 
informs  me  that  he  has  no  recollection  of  seeing  these  birds  in  any 
part  of  their  tour,  not  even  among  the  bleak  and  snowy  regions  of 
the  St(  ny  Mountains ;  though  the  little  blue  one  was  in  abundance. 
"  The  Snow  Bunting  derives  a  considerable  part  of  iU  food  from 
th«5  seeds  of  certain  aquatic  plants,  which  may  be  one  reason  for  ita 
preferring  these  remote  northern  countries,  so  generally  intersected 
with  streams,  ponds,  lakes,  and  shallow  arms  of  the  sea,  that  proba- 
bly abound  with  such  plants.  In  passing  down  the  Seneca  River 
towards  Lake  Ontario,  late  in  the  month  of  October,  I  was  sur- 
prised by  the  appearance  of  a  large  flock  of  these  birds,  feeding  on 
the  surface  of  the  water,  g-jpported  on  he  tops  of  a  growth  of 
weeds  that  rose  from  the  bottom,  growing  so  close  together  that  our 
boat  could  with  great  difficulty  make  its  way  through  them.  They 
were  running  aoout  with  great  activity ;  and  those  !  shot  and  ex- 
amined were  filled,  not  only  with  the  seeds  of  this  plant,  but  with  a 
minute  kind  of  shell-fish  that  adheres  to  the  leaves.  In  tiis  kind 
of  aquatic  excursions,  they  are  doubtless  greatly  assisted  by  the 
leiij^th  of  their  hind  heel  and  claws.  I  also  obst  rved  a  f'  w  on 
Table  Rock,  above  the  Falls  of  Niagara,  seemingly  in  search  of  the 
same  kind  of  food. 


pmmmmmumkwmt 


JIMMllilMii"-     .,. 


J^ 


r 


1 


800 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOQY. 


According  to  the  8t«tement»  of  those  traders  who  have  resided 
near  nud-.nn*«  Bav.  the  Snow  nu«li..«H  are  the  earliest  of  their 
migratory  birds;  appearing  there  alK)ut  the  11th  of  April,  staying 
about  a  month  or  five  weeks,  and  proceeding  further  north  to  breed. 
They  return  again  in  September,  stay  till  November,  when  the 
•evere  frosts  drive  them  southward." 

PtECTBOPHAHES  lAPPOHICTTS.  —  Betbi/. 

The  Lapland  Longipur. 

f-mbtrizn  hrpmien,  Audubon.    Om.  Bioj?.,  IV.  (1888)  473.  ,    '    , 

rUctrophantt  lappmicui,  "  Solby."    Bon.  Unt  (1888). 

Dkscbiptioh. 

First  qulIl  longe.ti  leRs  black;  hcml  all  round  blark,  thi«  extending  aa  a  »emi- 
clrc«1»r  patch  to  the  upper  part  of  breast,  »ide«  of  lower  neck  and  under  parU 
white  with  black  «trcak«  on  the  iides,  snd  ipotn  on  the  «ide  of  the  brea«t;  a  (.hort 
hrowni.h-white  -treak  back  of  the  eye;  a  broad  chestnut  collar  on  the  back  of  the 
neck;  rest  of  upper  part,  browninh-yeliow,  .treaked  with  dark-brown;  out.r  tail 
feathera  white,  except  on  the  banal  portion  of  the  inner  web. 

ThiK  specie,  ia  very  aeldom  .een  in  ft.ll  .prinp;  plumaRe  m  the  Un.ted  State..  In 
perfect  dre..,  the  black  of  the  throat  probably  extend,  further  d,.wn  over  the  brea.t. 
In  winter,  the  black  i.  more  or  le..  concealed  by  whiti.h  tip.  to  the  feather,  beneath, 
and  by  vellowi.h-brown  on  the  crown.  Some  fall  .pccimen.,  apparently  femalo., 
.how  no  black  whatever  on  the  throat,  which,  with  the  under  parU  generally,  are 
«nll-white,  with  a  .hort  black  .treak  on  each  aide  of  the  throat. 

Length,  about  .ix  and  twenty-five  one-hundredth,  inche.;  wing,  three  and 
ninety  one-hundredtha ;  'ail,  two  and  eight  one-hundredths. 

This  bird  is  found  only  as  an  extremely  rare  winter 
visitor  in  the  interior  of  New  England;  but  in  some  local- 
ities on  the  seaboard  it  is  not  uncommon,  associating 
with  flocks  of  Snow  Buntings.  We  are  informed  by  Dr. 
Richardson,  that  it  breeds  in  the  moist  meadows  on  the 
shores  of  the  Arctic  Sea.  The  nest  is  placed  on  a  small 
hillock,  among  moss  and  stones ;  is  composed  externally 
of  the  dry  stems  of  grass,  interwoven  to  a  considerable 
thickness ;  and  lined,  very  neatly  and  compactly,  with  deer's 
hair.  The  eggs,  usually  seven,  are  pale  ochre-yellow, 
spotted  with  brown. 


je  rcnidwl 
t  of  thoir 
il,  staying 
\  to  brtHvl. 
when  the 


g  w  A  aemi- 
I  under  part* 
-ea«t ;  a  iihort 
1  back  of  the 
n;  outur  tall 

id  Stated.  In 
'er  the  breaiit. 
tilers  beneath, 
>ntly  femalea, 
(fenerally,  are 

g,  three  and 


re  winter 
)me  local- 
i880ciating 
ed  by  Dr. 
W8  ou  tlio 
n  a  small 
externally 
nsiderable 
vith  deer's 
ire-yellow, 


THB  SAVANNAH   HPARROW.  801 


Sub-Family  Spizkllin*.. —  The  Sparrowi. 

Dill  variable,  uiDally  a1nio«t«tnilf;ht;  iometiroea  curved ;  commlnaure  generally 
nearly  itraigbt,  or  niiKl'tly  concavei  upper  mandible  widnr  than  lower;  nontriis 
expodwlj  wingD  moderate j  the  outer  primaries  not  much  roundudi  tail  variable; 
feet  Inrgo;  tarsi  mostly  longer  than  the  middle  toe. 

The  species  are  usually  small,  and  of  dull  .^ulor.  Nearly  all  are  streaked  on  the 
back  and  crown;  often  on  the  belly.  None  of  the  Uniled-8tntes  species  have  any 
red,  blue,  or  orange ;  and  the  yellow,  when  present,  is  as  a  superciliary  atretk,  or  on 
<he  elbow  edge  of  the  wing. 


PASSERCULU9,  Bokapahtb. 

Pauercului,  Bonapahtk,  Comp.  List  Birds  (1838).  (Typo  Fringitta  Savanm.) 
Bill  moderately  conical;  the  lower  mandible  smaller;  both  outlines  nearly 
straight;  tarsus  about  equal  to  the  middle  loo;  lateral  toes  about  equal,  their  claw* 
falling  far  short  of  the  middle  one;  hind  toe  much  longer  than  the  lateral  ones, 
reaching  as  far  as  the  middle  of  the  middle  claw;  its  claws  moderately  curved ( 
wings  unusually  long,  reaching  to  the  middle  of  the  tail,  and  almost  to  the  end  of  the 
upper  coverts;  the  tertials  nearly  or  quite  as  long  as  the  primaries ;  the  first  primary 
longest;  the  tail  is  quite  short,  considerably  shorter  than  the  wings,  as  long  as 
from  the  carpal  joint  to  the  end  of  the  secondaries;  it  is  cmarginate,  and  slightly 
rounded;   the  feathers  pointed  and  narrow. 

Entire  plumage  above,  head,  neck,  back,  and  rump,  streaked ;  thickly  streaked 
beneath. 

PASSEBCULUS   SAVANHA.  —  .Sonoparfe. 

The  Savannah  Sparrow. 

FringiOa  Savanna,  Wilson.  Am.  Om.,  III.  (1811)  66.  And.  Om.  Biog.,  11. 
(1834)63;  V.  (1839),  616. 

PauerctUus  ib'avanna,  Bonaparte.    List  (1888). 

Dkscriptiok. 

Feathers  of  the  upper  parts  generally  with  a  central  streak  of  blackish-brown; 
the  streaks  of  the  back  with  a  slight  rufous  suffusion  laterally;  the  feathers  edged 
with  gray,  which  is  lightest  on  the  scapulars;  crowti  with  a  broad  median  stripe  of 
yellowish-gray;  a  superciliary  streak  from  the  bill  to  the  back  of  the  head,  eyelids, 
and  edge  of  the  elbow,  yellow;  a  yellowish-white  maxillary  stripe  curving  behind 
the  ear  coverts,  and  margined  above  and  below  by  brown;  the  lower  margin  is  a 
series  of  thickly  crowded  spots  on  the  sides  of  the  throat,  which  are  also  found  on 
the  sides  of  the  neck,  across  the  upper  part  of  the  breast,  and  on  the  sides  of  the 
body;  a  few  spots  on  the  throat  and  chin;  rest  of  under  ports  white;  outer  tail 
feather  and  primary  edged  with  white.  * 

Length,  five  and  fifty  one-hundredths  inches;  -wing,  two  and  seventy  one-hun- 
iredths  inches;  tail,  two  and  ten  one-hundredths  inches. 


KS 


i 

i 


802 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


This  bird  seema  to  be   rather   irregularly  distributed 
throughout  New  England  in  the  summer  season.    In  the 
eastern   part  of  Massachusetts,  it  is  quite  common;   in 
the  western  part,  "chiefly  a  spring  and  summer  visitant," 
but  "not  common."     Mr.  Allen  has  never  found  it  breed- 
ing in  the  neighborhood  of  Springfield ;  but,  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  the  seacoast  in  the  same  State,  it  is  abundant  in 
the  breeding  season.    On  the  contrary,  in  Maine,  it  is  not 
very  common  near  the  seacoast;  but  in  the  interior,  even 
as  far  as  the  western  borders,  it  is  one  of  the  most  plentiful 
of  Sparrows.    It  arrives  in  Massachusetts  as  early  as  the 
first  week  in  April ;  in  Maine,  seldom  before  the  middle  of 
that  month.     About  the  first  week  in  May  in  Massachusetts, 
and  later  as  we  advance  north,  the  birds  commence  build- 
ing    The  nest  is  placed  on  the  ground,  usually  under  a 
tussock  of  grass :    it  is  constructed  of  fine  grasses  and 
roots,  which  are  bent  and  twined  together  rather  neatly; 
and  the  whole  is  lined  with  hairlike  roots  and  fine  grass. 
The  eggs  are  usually  four  in  number,  grayish-white  in  c-oior, 
and  covered  irregularly  with  spots  of  umber-brown  and  lilac. 
Their  form  varies  from  long  and  slender  to  quite  short 
and  thick:  their  dimensions  vary  from  .76  by  .60  to  .72  by 
58  inch     Two  broods  are  often  reared  in  the  season.    This 
species  rather  prefers  pastures  and  fields  at  a  distance  from 
houses  for  a  home  to  their  more  immediate  neighborhood. 

On  the  seaboard,  this  species  is  most  often  found  on  or 
near  the  sandy  beaches,  where  it  is  observed  busily  glean- 
ing in  the  seaweed  and  little  bunches  of  beach-grass,  the 
insects  and  moUusks  that  are  found  there.  In  the  interior, 
it  prefers  the  dry,  sandy  fields  and  pastures,  where,  running 
about  with  great  rapidity,  its  white  outer  tail.feathers  spread, 
it  is  always  industrious  in  its  search  for  coleopterous  insects 

and  seeds.  ,    ■,  ,  't       a 

The  female,  when  the  nest  is  approached,  leave?  it,  and 
runs 'limping  off,  her  wings  extended,  uttering  the  chatter- 
ing  cry  peculiar  to  the  Sparrows. 


istributed 
.    In  the 
imon ;    in 
visitant," 
it  breed- 
neighbor- 
undant  in 
1,  it  is  not 
srior,  even 
t  plentiful 
rly  as  the 
middle  of 
jachusetts, 
snce  build- 
ly  under  a 
•asses  and 
ler  neatly; 
fine  grass, 
te  in  color, 
1  and  lilac, 
juite  short 
}  to  .72  by 
son.     This 
itance  from 
iborhood. 
mnd  on  or 
usily  glean- 
ii-grass,  the 
he  interior, 
re,  running 
lers  spread, 
reus  insects 

ive?  it,  and 
the  chatter* 


THE   0BAS8   PINCH. 


303 


The  male,  during  the  mating  and  the  early  part  of  the 
breeding  season,  has  a  very  sweet  and  pretty  song  which  he 
chants  most  often  at  morning  and  early  evening,  and  during 
dark  and  cloudy  weather. 

This  song  is  difficult  of  description :  it  resembles  nearly 
the  syllables  ^chm4e  'chewitt  'chewitt  'chewitt  'cTiewSet  'chewSe, 
uttered  slowly  and  plaintively.  It  has  also  a  short  chirp, 
quite  faint,  yet  shrill,  which,  as  Mr.  Nuttall  truly  remarks, 
almost  exactly  resembles  the  chirping  of  a  cricket. 

About  the  first  week  in  October,  this  species  gathers  in 
small,  detached  flocks ;  and,  after  frequenting  the  stubble- 
fields  and  gardens  a  week  or  two,  the  whole  leave  for  the 
South. 

POOC^TES,  Baird. 

Bill  rather  large;  upper  outline  slightly  decnrved  towards  the  end,  lower  straight; 
commissure  slightly  concave;  tarsus  about  equal  to  the  middle  toe;  outer  toe  a 
little  longer  than  the  inner,  its  claw  reaching  to  the  concealed  base  of  the  middle 
claw;  hind  toe  reaching  to  the  middle  of  the  middle  claw;  wings  unusually  long, 
reaching  to  the  middle  of  the  tail,  as  far  as  the  coverts,  and  pointed,  the  primaries 
considerably  longer  than  the  secondaries,  which  are  not  much  surpassed  by  tht 
tertiaries;  second  and  third  quills  longest;  first  little  shorter,  about  equal  to  the 
fourth,  shorter  than  the  tail;  the  outer  feathers  scarcely  shorter;  the  feathers  rather 
stiff,  each  one  acuminate  and  sharply  pointed;  the  feathers  broad  nearly  to  the  end, 
when  they  are  obliquely  truncate;  streaked  with  brown  above  everj-where;  beneath, 
on  the  breast  and  sides;  the  lateral  tail  feather  is  white. 

P00C2ETES  GBAMIKEDS.  — JniVA 

I*  Tbe  Grass  Fiaoh ;  Bay-winged  Bunting.  - 

FnngiUa  gi-aminea,  Gmelin.  Syst  Nat,  I.  (1788)  922.  Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  I, 
(1881)473;  V.  502. 

Emberiza  graminta,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  FV.  (1811)  61. 

Description. 
Tail  feathers  mther  acute;  above  light  yellowish-brown;  the  feathers  everywhere 
streaked  abruptly  with  dark-brown,  even  on  the  sides  of  the  neck,  v.liich  are  paler; 
beneath  yellowish-white;  on  the  breast  and  sides  of  nock  and  body  streaked  with 
brown;  a  faint  light  superciliaiy  and  maxillary  stripe;  the  latter  mar«;ined  above 
and  below  with  dark-brown;  the> upper  stripe  conUnued  around  the  ear  coverts, 
which  are  darker  than  the  brown  color  elsewhere;  wings  with  the  shoulder  light 
chestnut-brown,  and  with  two  dull-whitish  bands  along  the  ends  of  the  coverts;  the 
outer  edge  of  the  secondaries  also  is  white;  outer  Uil  feather,  and  edge  and  tip 
of  the  second,  white. 


MM 


mfiamit^mMm 


304 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


Length,  about  six  and  twenty-five  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  three  and  ten 

one-hundredths  inches.  :     »    .u.  i,i„i, 

Hab.-Vnited  States  from  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific;  or  el»e  one  apecies  to  the  high 
central  plains,  and  another  fifom  this  to  the  Pacific. 

This  Sparrow  is  abundantly  distributed  throughout  New- 
England  in  the  breeding  season.     It  arrives  about  tlie  first 
week  in  April,  and  commences  building  about  the  last  of 
that  month  in  Massachusetts ;   in  Maine,  about  the  first 
of  June.    The  nest,  like  that  of  the  preceding  species,' is 
built  in  open,  dry  pastures  and  fields,  at  the  foot  of  a  tuft 
of  grass,  and  is  composed  of  the  same  materials  and  con- 
structed in  the  same  form  as  the  others ;  and  I  would  here 
remark,  that,  of  our  New-England  sparrows,  it  is  impossible 
to  disting  lish  most  species,  either  in  manner  and  material 
of  nest,  and  form  and  color  of  eggs,  in  the  great  variations 
which  exist  in  them.    The  descriptions  already  given,  and 
those  which  follow,  are  made  from  the  average  specimens, 
or  in  the  forms  in  which  they  are  most  often  met.    The 
eggs  of  the  Grass  I  inch  are  usually  about  four  \a  number : 
they  are  of  a  grayish,  livid-white  color,  and  marked  irregu- 
larly with  spots  of  obscure  brown,  over  which  are  blotches 
of  black.     Dimensions  of  specimens  from  various  localities 
vary  frcm  .88  by  .60  to  .76  by  .58  inch.    Two  broods,  and 
sometimes  three,  are  reared  in  the  season. 

The  habits  of  this  and  the  succeeding  species  so  much 
resemble  those  of  the  preceding,  that  it  is  difficult  to 
describe  either  so  that  they  may  be  readily  recognized. 
The  present  bird  is  more  civilized  in  its  habits,  and  usually 
resides  much  nearer  the  habitations  of  man  than  the  others ; 
but  in  other  respects  it  resembles  them  in  all  their  charac- 
teristics. 

C0TURNICULU3,  Bokapartk. 

Cotemiculm,  Bonaparte,  Geog.  List  (1838).    (Tj-pe  Fringilla pamrina  Wils.) 
Bill  very  large  and  stout;  the  under  mandible  broader,  but  lower  than  the  upper, 
which  is  considerably  convex  at  the  basal  portion  of  ito  upper  outline ;  legs  mod- 
erate, apparently  not  reaching  to  the  end  of  the  Uil;  the  tarsiis  appreciably  longer 


;;~-a 


ree  and  ten 
to  the  high 


out  New 
tlie  first 
3  last  of 
the  first 
pecies,'  is 
of  a  tuft 
and  con- 
)uld  here 
npossible 

material 
variations 
iven,  and 
pecimens, 
let.  The 
number : 
id  irregu- 
5  blotches 

localities 
oods,  and 

so  much 
ifficult  to 
3C0gnized. 
id  usually 
lie  others ; 
sir  charac- 


tertfMi,  Wil*.) 
Iian  the  upper, 
ne;  legs  mod- 
reciably  longer 


THE   YELLOW-WINGED   SPARROW. 


305 


than  the  middle  toe ;  the  lateral  toes  equal,  and  with  their  claws  falling  decidedly 
sliort  of  the  middle  claw;  the  hind  toe  intermediate  between  the  two;  the  wings  are 
short  and  rounded,  reaching  to  the  base  of  the  tail;  the  tertiarics  almost  as  long  as 
the  primaries;  not  much  difference  in  tlie  lengths  of  the  primaries,  although  the 
outer  three  or  four  are  slightly  graduated;  tho  f>!I  is  «hort  and  narrow,  decidedly 
shorter  than  the  wing,  graduated  laterally,  but  si '.'htly  emarginate;  the  feathers  all 
lanceolate  and  acute,  but  not  stiffened,  as  in  Ammodromxu. 

The  upper  parts  generally  are  streaked;  the  blotches  on  the  interscapular  region 
very  wide;  tlie  breast  and  sides  are  generally  streaked  more  or  less  distinctly;  the 
edge  of  the  wing  is  yellow. 

COTUBNICnLUS  FASSEBINnS.  —  £onapar(e. 
XThe  Tellcjr-Tinged  Sparrow.— 

Fringtlla  poiserina,  Wilson.  Am.  Om  III.  (1811)  76.  Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  U 
(1834) 180;  V.  497. 

Catumkuius  passerina,  Bonaparte.    List  (1838). 

FringiUa  Savanarum  (Gmelin),  Kuttall.  Man.,  I.  (1832)  494.  lb.  (2d  ed., 
1840),  570. 

Description. 

Feathers  of  the  upper  parts  brownish-rufous,  margined  narrowly  and  abruptly 
with  ash-color;  reddest  on  the  lower  part  of  the  back  and  rump;  the  feathers  all 
abruptly  black  in  the  central  portion ;  this  color  visible  on  the  interscapular  region, 
where  the  rufous  is  more  restricted;  crown  blackish,  with  a  central  and  superciliary 
stripe  of  yellowish  tinged  with  brown,  brigLtest  in  front  of  tho  eye ;  bend  of  the 
wing  bright-yellow;  lesser  coverts  tinged  with  greenish-yellow;  quills  and  tail 
feathers  edged  with  whitish;  tertiarics  much  variegated;  lower  parts  brownish- 
yellow,  nearly  white  on  the  middle  of  tlie  belly;  the  feathers  o*"  the  upper  breast 
and  sides  of  the  body  with  obsoletely  darker  centres. 

Length,  about  five  inches;  wing,  two  and  forty  one-hundredths  inches;  tail,  two 
inches. 

The  young  of  this  species  has  the  upper  part  of  the  breast  streaked  with  black, 
much  more  distinct  than  in  the  adult,  and  exhibiting  a  close  resemblance  to  C.  Hens- 
lowi. 

Specimens  from  the  Far  West  have  the  reddish  of  the  back  conside .'ably  paler; 
the  light  stripe  on  the  head,  with  scarcely  iny  yellow;  a  decided  tpot  in  front 
of  the  eye  quite  yellow. 

This  bird  is  irregularly  distributed.  In  Massachusetts  it 
is  rare  nei'-r  the  seacoast,  but  in  the  western  part  is  an 
"  abundant  summer  visitant ;  arrives  about  the  first  week 
in  May,  and  leaves  in  autumn  the  earliest  of  the  Sparrows." 
—  Allen.  It  is  not  included  in  Mr.  Verrill's  list  of  Maine 
birds ;  and  I  have  never  met  with  it  in  that  State  or  the 
other  two  northern  ones,  although  it  probably  occurs  there, 

20 


\ ■ 


306 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


but  not  abundantly.  The  nest  is  buUt,  like  the  two  preced 
ing  species,  on  the  ground,  in  the  same  localities,  and  of  the 
same  materials ;  but  the  eggs  are  different,  being  pure-white 
in  color,  with  thinly  scattered  spots  of  reddish-brown :  they 
are  usually  five  in  number,  and  their  dimensions  vary  from 
.78  by  .60  to  .74  by  .58  inch.  Two  broods  are  often  reared 
in  the  same  season.  Its  habits  are  similar  to  those  of  the 
Savannah  Sparrow. 

COTUBNICULUS  SESSLOVTl.— Bonaparte. 

Henslow's  Bunting. 

Emberiza  Henshwi,  Audubon.    Ore.  Biog.,  I.  (1831)  860.    Nutt  Man.,  L  (1882) 

^%iumictdw,  Hemhwi,  Bonaparte.    List  (1888).    lb.,  Consp.  (1850),  481. 
FringiUa  Benslowi, 'Satta.W.    Man.,  L  (2d  ed.,  1840)  671. 

DESCRlFnON. 

Upper  parts  yellowish-brown;  the  head,  neck,  and  upper  parts  of  back  tinged 
with  greenish-yellow;  interscapular  feathers  dark-brown,  suffused  externaUy  with 
bright  brownish-red;  each  feather  with  grayish  borders;  tertiaries,  rurap,  and  tail 
feathers  abruptly  dark-brown  centrally,  the  color  obscurely  margined  with  dark-red; 
crown  with  a  broad  black  spotted  stripe  on  each  side,  these  spots  continued  down 
to  the  back;  two  narrow  black  maxillary  stripes  on  each  side  the  head,  and  an 
obscure  black  crescent  behind  the  auriculars;  under  parts  light  brownish-yellow, 
paler  on  the  throat  and  abdomen;  the  upper  part  of  the  breast,  and  the  sides  of  the 
body,  conspicuously  streaked  with  black;  edge  of  wing  yellow;  a  strong  tinge  of 
pale-chestnut  on  the  wings  and  tail. 

Length,  five  and  twenty-five  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  two  and  fifteen  one- 
hundredths  inches;  taU,  two  and  fifteen  one-hundredths  inches. 

This  bird  is  a  rare  summer  resident  in  New  England  as 
far  north  as  Massachusetts,  in  which  state  it  probably  breeds 
regularly  i«  certain  localities.  A  nest  found  in  Berlin, 
Mass.,  by  Mr.  B.  S.  Wheeler,  contained  four  eg;?''.  Mr. 
Allen  says  that  "  this  species  must  still  be  considered  a  rare 
summer  visitor,  though  it  proves  more  common  than  was 
supposed  a  few  years  since." 

Individuals  are  occasionally  found  in  the  eastern  part  of 
the  state,  and  their  nests  discovered.  Mr.  Maynard  con- 
jectures that  it  may  have  been  confounded  with  the  yellow- 
winged  sparrow  by  some  collectors. 


-^^j^^^MM;^., 


0  preced 
nd  of  tho 
ure-whito 
wn:  they 
i^ary  from 
en  reared 
lae  of  the 


[an.,  I.  (1882) 
,481. 


if  back  tinged 
sternaUy  with 
ump,  and  tail 
with  dark-red ; 
intinued  down 
head,  and  an 
)wnish-yellow, 
he  sides  of  the 
trong  tinge  of 

Dd  fifteen  one- 


ilngland  as 
ibly  breeds 
in  Berlin, 
■igft"^.  Mr. 
3re(i  a  rare 
I  than  was 

rn  part  of 
ynard  con- 
the  yellow- 


^-iiiiPfMnniinniiiiiinii 


THE  SHARP-TAILED   MNCH.  807 


AMMODROMUS,  Swainsok. 

Ammodromus,  Swainson,  Zool.  Jour.,  III.  1827.  (Typ«  Oridus  caudacutut, 
Gmelin.) 

Bill  very  long,  slender,  and  attenuated,  considerably  curved  towards  the  tip  above; 
the  gonys  straight;  the  legs  and  toes  are  very  long,  and  reach  considerably  beyond 
the  tip  of  the  short  tail;  the  tarsus  is  about  equal  to  the  elongated  middle  toe;  the 
lateral  toes  equal,  their  claws  falling  considerably  short  of  the  base  of  the  middle 
one;  the  hind  claw  equal  to  the  lateral  one;  wings  short,  -  ':hing  only  to  the  base 
of  the  tail ;  much  rounded ;  the  secondaries  and  tertials  equal,  and  not  mueh  shorter 
than  the  primaries;  the  tail  is  short,  and  graduated  laterally,  each  feather  stiffened, 
lanceolate,  and  acute. 

Color.  —  Streaked  above  and  across  the  breast;  very  faintly  on  the  sides. 


AHMODBOMUS  CAUSACUTUS.  —  Swainion. 

The' Sharp-tailed  Fiaeh. 

Oriolus  caudacutut.    Gm.,  I.  (1788)  394. 

Frinr/illa  caudacuta,  Wilson.  Am.  Orn.,  FV.  (1811)  70.  And.  Om.  Blog.,  11. 
(1834)  281;  V.  499. 

Ammodromut  caudacuttu,  Swainson.    Birds,  II.  (1837)  289. 
FringiUa  littoralit,  Nuttall.    Man.,  I.  (1832)  504  (2d  ed.,  1840,  690). 

Description. 

Upper  parts  brownish-olivaceous;  head  brownish,  streaked  with  black  on  the 
sides,  and  a  broad  central  strijie  of  ashy;  back  blotched  with  dHrkep;  .i  broad 
superciliary  and  maxillar)' stripe,  and  a  band  across  the  upper  breasi  buff-yellow; 
the  sides  of  the  throat  with  a  brown  stripe ;  the  upper  part  of  the  breast  and  the 
sides  of  the  body  streaked  with  black;  ii^t  of  under  parts  white;  edge  of  wing 
yellowiah-while. 

The  young  is  of  a  more  yellowish  tinge  above  and  below;  the  streaks  on  the 
back  more  conspicuous;  the  scapular  feathers  without  the  whitish  edging. 

Length,  five  inches ;  wing,  two  and  thirty  one-hundredths  inches. 

E<d).  —  Atlantic  Coast  of  the  United  States. 

Massachusetts  seenos  to  be  the  northern  limit  of  this  spe- 
cies. In  this  State  and  those  south,  it  is  not  uncommon  ; 
but  it  is  confined  to  the  districts  in  the  neigliborhood  of  the 
coast,  and  is  never  found  more  than  a  mile  or  two  from 
those  localities  in  the  breeding  season.  About  the  last 
week  in  May,  the  nest  is  built:  this  is  placed  in  a  tussock 
of  grass  above  the  tide-marks,  and  is  constructed  of  coarce 
grasses,  which  are  woven  into  a  strong  fabric,  and  lined  with 
fiaof  graoscs  and  seaweed.    The  eggs  ai'e  generally  five  in 


tmm 


-v^mmmmmmmf^--- ____-,.»-., 


J 


4 


808 


OBNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


mimber.  Their  color  is  a  bluiali-whito,  which  is  covered 
with  fine  brown  dots :  these  dots  are  coarser  in  some  speci- 
mens, and  ahnost  confluent  near  the  greater  end.  Dimen- 
sions vary  from  .80  by  .64  inch  +o  .76  by  .60  incli.  But  one 
brood  is  generally  reared  in  the  season  in  tliis  latitude. 

The  description,  by  Wilson,  of  the  habits  of  the  Seaside 
Finch  is  so  applicable  to  this  species,  that  I  give  it  here : 
"It  inhabits  the  low,  rush-covered  sea  islands  along  our 
Atlantic  Coast,  whore  I  first  found  it ;  keeping  almost  con- 
tinually within  the  boundaries  of  tide-water,  except  when 
long  and  violent  east  and  north-easterly  storms,  with  high 
tides,  compel  it  to  seek  the  shore.  On  these  occasions,  it 
courses  along  the  margin,  and  among  the  holes  and  inter- 
stices of  the  weeds  and  sea-wrack,  with  „  rapidity  equalled 
only  by  the  nimblest  of  our  Sand-pipers,  and  very  much  in 
their  manner.  At  these  times,  also,  it  roosts  on  the  ground, 
and  runs  about  after  dusk. 

"  This  species  derives  its  whole  subsistence  from  the  sea. 
I  examined  a  great  number  of  individuals  by  dissection, 
and  found  their  stomachs  universally  filled  with  fragments 
of  shrimps,  minute  shell-fish,  and  broken  limbs  of  small 
sea-crabs.  Its  flesh,  also,  as  was  to  be  expected,  tasted  of 
fish,  or  what  is  usually  termed  sedgy.  Amidst  the  re- 
cesses of  these  wet  sea-marshes,  it  seeks  the  rankest  growth 
oi  grass  and  seaweed,  and  climbs  along  the  stalks  of  the 
rushes  with  as  much  dexterity  as  it  runs  along  the  ground, 
which  is  rather  a  singular  circumstance,  most  of  our 
climbers  being  rather  awkward  at  running." 

AHMOOBOHD  S  MAEITIMUS.  —  Swainsm. 
Xbe  Seaside  Finch. 
Frinffinamaritima,^ihon.   Am.Orn.,IV.  (^SliyeS.    Aud.  Om. Biog., I. (1881). 
Ammmlromus  ma-.-iiimus,  Swainson,    Zooi.  Jour.,  IK.  (1827)  828. 
Frinqilla  (Ammodromus)  maritima,  NuttaU.    Man.,  I.  (2d  ed.,  1840)  592. 
FringiUa  MacgUlkrayi,  Audubon.    Om.  Biog.,  U.  (1834)  286;  IV.  (188«)  894; 

V.  (1839)  499. 

Fi-ingma  {Ammodromm)  MacgilHvrayi,  Nuttall.    Man.,  I.  (2d  ed.,  1840)  698. 


4^ 


4- 


THE   WHITE-CROWNED   SPARROW. 


809 


,  covered 

me  speci- 

Dimen- 

But  one 

ude. 

3  Seaside 
3  it  here : 
ilong  our 
aaost  con- 
ept  wiien 
with  high 
jasions,  it 
md  inter- 
f  equalled 
'  much  in 
le  ground, 

n  the  sea. 
lissection, 
fragments 
I  of  small 
tasted  of 
3t  the  re- 
est  growth 
Iks  of  the 
le  ground, 
it   of    our 


Biog.,I.(1831). 

0)  592. 

V.  (1888)  894; 

,  1840)  608. 


Descriptiok. 

Above  olivaceous-brown;  beneath  white;  the  breast  and  sides  of  body  yellowish- 
brown,  obsoletely  streaked  with  plumbeous;  sides  of  head  and  body,  a  central  stripe 
on  the  head  above,  a  moxiJInry  stripe,  and  indistinct  longitudinal  streaks  on  the 
breast,  ashy-brown ;  the  sides  and  the  breast  tinged  with  yellowish;  the  maxillary 
stripe  cuts  off  a  white  one  above  it;  a  superciliary  stripe  is  bright-yellow  anterior  to 
the  eye,  and  plumbeous  above  and  behind  it;  edge  of  wing  yellow;  bill  blue. 

Length,  about  six  inches ;  wing,  two  and  fifty  one-hundredths  inches. 

This  bird's  habits  and  distribution  are  the  same  as  those 
of  the  preceding  species,  as  also  are  the  nests  and  eggs, 
which  are  impossible  of  identification  when  placed  side  by 
side. 

ZONOTRICHIA,  Swainson. 

ZonotricMa,  Swainson,  Fauna  Bor.  Am.,  II.  (1831).  (Type  Emberiza  leucophryt.) 
Body  rather  stout ;  bill  conical,  slightly  notched,  somewhat  compressed,  excavated 
inside;  tlie  lower  mandible  rather  longer  than  the  upper;  gonj's  slightly  convex; 
commissure  nearly  straight;  feet  stout;  tarsus  rather  longer  than  middle  toe;  the 
lateral  toes  very  nearly  equal;  hind  toe  longer  than  the  lateral  ones,  their  claws  just 
reaching  to  base  of  middle  one;  inner  claw  contained  twice  in  its  toe  proper;  claws 
all  slender  and  considerably  curved ;  wings  moderate,  not  reaching  to  the  middle  of 
the  tail,  but  beyond  the  rump;  secondaries  and  tertials  equal  and  considerably  less 
than  longest  primaries;  second  and  third  quills  longest;  first  about  equal  to  the  fifth, 
much  longer  than  tertials;  tail  rather  long,  moderately  rounded;  the  feathers  not 
very  broad;  back  streaked;  rump  and  under  parts  immaculate;  head  black,  or  with 
white  streaks,  entirely  different  from  the  back. 


ZOHOTBICHIA  ZZVCOVS&YH.—Swaimon. 

The  White-crowned  Sparrow. 

Emberiza  Uucc^hrys,  Forster.  Philos.  Trans.,  LXII.  (1772)  382, 426.  Wils.  Am. 
Om.,  IV.  (1811)  4S. 

FringiUa  (Zonotrichia)  hucnphrys,  Swainson.    F.  B.  Am.,  II.  (1831)  265. 
FringiUa  kucqphryt,  Audubon.    Om.  Biog.,  11.  (1884)  88;  V.  515. 

DKSCRlmON. 

Head  above,  upper  half  of  loraJ^.  region  fh>m  the  bill,  and  a  narrow  line  through 
Hnd  behind  the  eye  to  the  occiput,  black ;  a  longitudinal  patch  in  the  middle  of  the 
orown,  and  a  short  line  from  above  the  anterior  comer  of  the  eye,  the  two  confluent 
on  the  occiput,  white;  sides  of  the  head,  fora  part  of  breaat,  and  lower  neck  all 
"ound,  pale-ash,  lightest  beneat;h  and  shading  insensibly  into  the  whitisli  of  the  belly 
and  chin;  sides  of  belly  and  under  tail  coverts  tinged  with  yellowish-brown;  inter- 
scapular region  streakeu  broadly  with  dark  chestnut-brownish ;  edges  of  the  tertiariei 
brownish-chestnut;  two  white  bands  on  the  wing. 


f«vm 


M 


810 


OHNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


Female  similar,  but  smaller-,  immatiire  male  with  the  black  of  the  head  replaced 
by  dark  chestnut-brown,  the  white  tmged  with  brownish-yellow. 

The  white  of  the  crown  separates  two  black  lines  on  either  sides,  rather  narrower 
than  itself;  the  black  line  behind  the  eye  is  continued  anterior  to  it  into  the  black 
•t  the  base  of  the  bill;  the  lower  eyelid  is  white;  there  are  some  obscure  cloudings 
of  darker  on  the  neck  above;  the  rump  is  immaculate;  no  white  on  the  tail,  except 
very  obscure  tips;  the  white  crosses  the  ends  of  the  middle  and  greater  coverU. 

Length,  seven  and  ten  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  three  and  twenty-flve  one- 
hundredths. 

This  beautiful  bird  is  a  rare  spring  and  autumn  visitor 
in  Now  England.  It  arrives  about  the  first  week  in  May, 
sometimes  as  late  as  tlio  20th  of  that  month,  and  returns 
from  the  North  about  the  10th  of  October.  While  with 
us,  it  has  all  the  habits  of  the  succeeding  species,  with 
which  it  usually  associates. 

The  following  description  of  its  breeding  habits,  nest,  and 
eggs,  is  given  by  Audubon :  — 

"  One  day,  while  near  American  Harbor,  in  Labrador,  I  observed 
a  pair  of  these  birds  resorting  to  a  small  'hummock'  of  firs,  where 
I  concluded  they  must  have  had  a  nest     After  searching  in  vain,  I 
intimated  my  suspicion  to  my  young  friends,  when  we  all  crept 
through  the  tangled  branches,  and  examined  the  place  without  suc- 
cess. .  .  .  Our  disappointment  was  the  greater,  that  we  saw  the 
male  bird  frequently  flying  about  with  food  in  his  bill,  no  doubt 
intended  for  his  mate.     In  a  short  while,  the  pair  came  near  us, 
and  both  were  shot.    In  the  female  we  found  an  egg,  which  was 
pure-white,  but  with  the  shell  yet  soft  and  thin.     On  the  6th  of 
July,  while  my  son  was  creeping  among  some  low  bushes  to  get  a 
shot  at  some  Red-throated  Divers,  he  accidentally  started  a  female 
from  her  nest     It  made  much  complaint.     The  nest  was  placed  in 
the  moss,  near  the  foot  of  a  low  fir,  and  was  formed  externally  of 
beautiful  dry  green  moss,  matted  in  bunches,  like  the  coarse  hair 
of  some  quadruped;  internally  of  very  fine  dry  grass,  arranged 
with  great  neatness  to  the  thickness  of  nearly  half  an  inch,  with  a 
full  lining  of  delicate  fibrous  roots  of  a  rich  transparent  yellow. 
It  was  five  inches  in  diameter  externally,  two  in  depth ;  two  and  a 
quarter  in  diamet«r  within,  although  rather  oblong,  and  one  and 
three-quarters  deep.    In  one  nest,  we  found  a  single  feather  of  the 
WUbw  Grouie.    The  eggb,  five  in  number,  average  seven-eighths 


'^i^^^iefi^iS^^^ 


i".'    «i.  w 


± 


•^mmrffff^ 


THE   WHITE-THROATED   SPARROW. 


811 


id  replaced 

or  narrower 
to  the  black 
'6  cloudings 
tail,  except 
;o.vert8. 
ty-flve  one- 


n  visitor 

in  May, 

I  returns 

lile  with 


les, 


with 


nest,  and 


of  an  inch  in  length,  are  proportionally  broad,  of  a  light  sea-green 
color,  mottled  toward  the  largor  end  with  brownish  spots  and 
blotches ;  a  few  sjjots  of  a  lighter  tint  being  dispersed  over  the 
y\  'lolt ....  We  found  many  nests,  which  were  all  placed  on  the 
ground  or  among  the  moss,  and  were  all  constructed  alike.  This 
species  deposit  their  eggs  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  Juno. 
In  the  beginning  of  August,  I  saw  many  young  that  were  able  to 
fly ;  and,  by  the  twelfth  of  that  month,  the  birds  had  already  com- 
menced their  southward  migration.  The  young  follow  their  parents 
until  ne.  rly  full  grown. 

"  The  food  of  this  species,  while  in  Labrador,  consists  of  small 
coleopterous  insects,  grass  seeds,  and  a  variety  of  berries,  as  well 
as  some  minute  shell-fish,  for  which  they  frequently  search  the  mar- 
gins of  ponds  or  the  seashore.  At  the  approach  of  autumn,  they 
pursue  insects  on  the  wing  to  a  short  distance,  and  doubtless  secure 
some  in  that  manner." 


[  observed 
Srs,  where 

in  vain,  I 
>  all  crept 
ithout  suc- 
e  saw  the 
,  no  doubt 
e  near  us, 
which  was 
the  6th  of 
es  to  get  a 
id  a  female 
I  placed  in 
ternally  of 
coarsa  hair 
,  arranged 
nch,  with  a 
jnt  yellow. 

two  and  a 
id  one  and 
ither  of  the 
ven-eighths 


The  song  of  the  White-crowned  Sparrow  consists  of  six 
or  seven  notes,  the  first  of  which  is  loud,  clear,  and  musi- 
cal, although  of  a  plaintive  nature  ;  the  next  broader,  less 
firm,  and  seeming  merely  a  second  to  the  first;  the  rest 
form  a  cadence,  diminisliing  in  power  to  the  last  note,  which 
sounds  as  if  the  final  effort  of  the  musician.  These  notes 
are  repeated  at  short  intervals  during  the  whole  day, — even 
on  those  dismal  days  produced  by  the  thick  fogs  of  the 
country  where  it  breeds,  and  where  this  species  is,  of  all, 
the  most  abundant. 

ZONOTBICHIA  ALBlCOtUS.  —  Bonaparte. 

The  White-throated  Sparrow ;  Peabody  Bird. 

Fringilla  aOicoUu,  Gmelin.  Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1788). 826.  Wils.  Am.  Om.,  III. 
(1811)  61. 

Zorwtrichia  aOncollit,  Bonap.    Consp.  (1860),  478. 

FrinyiUa  Pennsylvanica,  Audubon.    Om.  Biog.,  I.  (1831)  42;  V.  49T. 

>    Descbiption. 

Two  black  stripes  on  the  crown  separated  by  a  median  one  of  white ;  a  broad 
superciliary  stripe  from  the  base  of  the  mandible  to  the  occiput,  yellow  as  far  as 
the  middle  of  the  eye  and  white  behind  this ;  a  broad  black  streak  on  the  side  of  the 


r 


ji*i 


812 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOQT. 


head  from  bcl-lnd  the  eyo;  chin  white,  abruptly  defined  agalnrt  the  dark-aah  of 
the  sides  of  the  htad  and  upper  part  of  the  breast,  fading  into  white  on  ihe  belly, 
and  margined  by  a  narrow  bW*  maxillary  line;  edge  of  wing  and  nx.llaries  yellow} 
back  and  cdg.-H  ..f  secondaries  rufoua-brown,  ihe  former  streaked  with  dark-brown) 
two  nar-ow  wliiti'  bands  across  the  wing  coTerta. 

FenifJe  smaller,  and  the  colors  rather  diillor.  Immat.iro  and  winter  specimens 
have  the  white  chin-patch  less  abruptly  defined;  the  white  markings  on  tli-  top  and 
sides  of  the  head  tiii«ed  with  brown.  Some  specimens,  apparently  mature,  show 
quite  distinct  streaks  on  Uie  breast,  and  sides  of  throat  and  body. 

Length,  seven  inches;  wing,  three  and  ten  ono-hundredthsi  tail,  three  and  twenty 
one  4iundredth3  inchea. 

This  beautiful  Sparrow  arrives  in  Massachusetts  by  the 
last  week  in  April.  It  does  not  tarry  long,  but  passes 
north,  and  breeds  abundantly  in  the  northern  districts  of 

New  England.  I  have 
found  the  nests  as  early 
as  the  last  week  iu  May ; 
but  generally  they  aro 
not  built  before  the  10th 
of  June.  They  are 
placed  under  a  low  bush 
01  i  the  ground,  some- 
times in  swamps  and 
pastures,  Rometimes  in 
liigh  woods  and  ledges. 
/*~i,Cr"  U^l^'*^  ^  ^IH^  They  are  constructed  of 
f  i^-\  %s^^      ^    l^H^k.  fjne  grasses,  twigs,  and 

mosses,  and  lined  with 
finer  grasses,  and  sometimes  a  few  hair-like  roots.  Some 
specimens  that  I  have  collected  in  Northern  Maine  were 
placed  in  a  hollow  in  a  mossy  knoll,  which  was  scratched 
by  the  birds  to  the  depth  of  the  whole  nest.  The  eggs  are 
usually  four  in  number :  their  color  is  a  grayish-white,  and 
marked  with  spots  and  confluent  blotches  of  brown  and 
obscure  lilac.  A  number  of  specimens,  collected  in  ditfer- 
ent  localities  in  Maine,  exhibit  the  following  variations  in 
size:  .92  by  .64  inch,  .92  by  .GO  inch,  .90  by  .62  inch,  .86 
by  .62  inch.    But  one  brood  is  reared  in  the  season.    This 


iWii 


ngmgi 


JUNCO. 


818 


lark-Mh  of 
1  liiB  belly, 
ries  yellow; 
lark -brown  i 

ir  8pecimond 
111.'  top  and 
ature,  sbow 

and  twenty 


ts  by  the 
it  passes 
itricts  of 
I  have 
1  as  early 
:  iu  May ; 
tliey  are 

the  10th 
hoy  are 
low  bush 
d,  some- 
naps  and 
itimes  in 
,d  ledges, 
ructed  of 
wigs,  and 
iued  with 
8.  Some 
line  were 
scratched 

eggs  are 
rhite,  and 
rown  and 

in  ditfer- 
iations  m 
1  inch,  .86 
on.    This 


bird  18  a  groat  fav.rito  iu  tho  North,  and  justly  so.  It  is 
ono  of  tho  sweetest  sonqjsters  of  the  localities  wlioro  it 
is  found  ;  and,  havirg  no  bad  precedents  with  tlio  farmer, 
and  being  of  a  si^ciablo,  lively  disposithwi,  it  is  no  wonder 
that  it  mcuts  with  great  favor. 

Tho  song  of  this  species  is  very  beautiful.  It  is  difficult  of 
doHrription,  but  resembles  nearly  the  syllables  'ch^a  dee  de; 
d^-d-d(.,-dS-d-de,  de-d-de,  dS-d-de,  uttered  at  first  loud  and 
clear,  and  rapidly  falling  in  tone  and  decreasing  in  volume. 

Tliis  is  ciianteil  during  tho  morning  and  the  latter  part  of 
tho  day,  and,  in  cloudy  "  oather,  throu<i!i  the  whole  day.  I 
have  often  heard  it  at  different  hours  of  the  night,  when 
I  have  been  encamped  in  the  deep  forests  ;  and  the  effect,  at 
that  time,  was  indescribably  sweet  and  plaintive.  Tho  fact 
that  the  bird  often  sings  in  the  night  has  given  it  the  name 
of  the  "  Nightingale "  in  many  localities ;  and  the  title  in 
well  earned. 

While  in  its  spring  and  autiimn  migrations,  this  Sparrow 
prefers  low  moist  thickets  and  young  woods ;  but,  in  its  sum 
mer  home,  it  is  found  equally  abundant  in  fields,  pasniros, 
swamps,  and  forests. 

It  feeds  on  uisects,  various  seeds,  and  berries,  tmd  some- 
times pursues  flying  insects  in  tho  manner  of  tho  preceding 
species. 

About  the  last  week  in  October,  the  birds,  after  congre- 
gating in  loose  flocks  of  a  dozen  or  fifteen,  leave  New  Eng- 
land for  their  winter  homes. 

JUNCO,  Waglkb. 

Jmeo,  Wagleb,  IsIb  (1881).  (Typo  Fringilla  cintrea,  Sw.) 
Pill  small,  conical;  culmon  curved  at  the  tip;  the  lower  jaw  quite  as  high  as  the 
nppcr;  tnrsus  .nger  than  the  middle  toe;  outer  toe  longer  than  the  inner,  barely 
reaching  to  the  base  of  the  middle  claw;  hind  toe  reaching  as  far  as  the  middle  of 
the  latter;  extended  toes  reaching  about  to  the  middle  of  the  tail;  wings  rather 
short,  reaching  over  the  basaf  fourth  of  the  exposed  surface  of  the  tail;  primaries, 
however,  considerably  longer  than  the  nearly  equal  secondaries  and  tertials;  the 
second  quill  longest,  the  third  to  fifth  successively  but  little  shorter;  lirst  longer  than 
sixth,  much  exceeding  secondaries;  tail  moderate,  a  little  shorter  than  the  wings; 


r 


^«liigBiiiilii 


i«.aKv^a,,r*,.j';».j;;>;-v.aAga,->^pyff^^||^-^ 


814 


OBNITHOLOOY  AND   OOLOOY. 


llightly  cmarglnato  and  rounded ;  feathers  rather  narrow,  oval  at  the  end ;  ho  ntreakl 
on  the  licad  or  body ;  color  atxivo  unilbrin  on  the  heod,  back,  or  rump,  »cpttratcly  or 
on  all  together i  belly  white;  outer  tail  feathem  white. 

The  ea«ential  charactem  of  thia  ifenxu  are,  Uio  m'  ''I!  •  toe  rather  ihorter  than  the 
■hort  tureus;  the  lateral  toes  slightly  unequal,  the  outer  reaching  the  base  of 
the  niiiliUfl  cliiw;  the  tail  a  little  shorter  than  the  win({«,  slightly  emarginate.  In 
Junco  cinereut  ihe  claws  are  longer;  the  lower  mandible  a  little  lower  than  th« 
upper;  the  species  have  the  upper  parts  ashy  or  plumbeous,  the  belly  and  lateral 
tail  feathen  white. 

JDKOO  HTEMAIilS.  —  £[cb<er. 

The  Snowbird.  < 

FHngiOa  hytmalii,  Linnwus.  Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (10th  ed.,  1768)  183.  Aud.  Om.  Biog., 
I.  (1831)72;  V.  60S. 

Junco  hyemalit,  Sclater.    Pr.  Zool.  8oc.  (1867),  7. 
FringiUa  nivalit.    Wils.,  II.  (1810)  120. 

DEScniPTioie. 

Kverywhere  of  a  grayish  or  dark  ashy-black,  deepest  anteriorly ;  the  middle  of 
the  breast  behind  and  of  the  belly,  the  under  tail  coverts,  and  first  and  second  exter- 
nal Uil  feathers,  white;  the  third  tail  feather  white,  margined  with  black. 

Length,  six  and  twenty-five  one-hundreJths  inches;  wing,  about  three  inches. 

This  intereating  and  well-known  little  species  is  an  abun 

dant  inhabitant  of  New  Eng- 
land. In  the  spring  it  migrates 
from  the  southern  districts, 
where  it  spends  the  winter,  to 
the  northern  sections,  and  late 
in  fall  returns  to  its  winter 
home.  A  few  pairs  breed  in 
Massachusetts  on  the  Holyoke 
Mountains,  and  in  New  Hamp- 
shire on  the  White  Mountains : 
but  the  great  numbers  pass  to 
the  northern  districts  to  spend 
the  summer ;  and  near  the  Um- 
h  bagog  lakes,  and  north  to  the 
Canada  frontier,  it  is  the  most 
Song  Sparrow,  low.rflg.  commou  specios.    I  liavo  been 

so  fortunate  as  to  find  a  number  of  the  nests:  some  had  eggs 
as  early  as  the  last  week  in  May,  and  others  as  late  as  the 


Snowbird,  upper  flg. 


I  TC»Vi«-^ii^w ' 


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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


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1.25 




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2.0 

1.8 


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Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  canadien  de  microreproductions  historiques 


yMMMan 


THE   SNOWBIRD. 


816 


middle  of  July ;  therefore  two  broods  are  probably  reared. 
The  nests  are  constructed  of  fine  grasses  and  leaves,  and 
are  placed  sometimes  in  a  slight  hole  scratched  in  a  mossy 
knoll,  sometimes  in  an  old  stump  of  a  tree  or  in  a  txift  of 
grass  in  a  thicket  of  bushes.  The  eggs  are  usually  four  in 
number:  they  vary  in  color  from  nearly  pure-white  with 
reddish  spots,  to  grayish-white  with  reddish-brown  spots,  and 
bluish-white  with  a  roseate  tint  and  spots  of  umber,  reddish- 
brown,  and  lilac.  Dimensions  vary  from  .76  by  .60  inch  to 
.70  by  .56  inch. 

The  description  by  Wilson  of  the  habits  of  this  species  is 
so  full  and  accurate  that  I  can  do  no  better  than  give  it 
here :  — 

"This  well-known  species,  small  and  insignificant  as  it  may 
appear,  is  by  far  the  most  numerous,  as  well  as  the  most  extensively 
disseminated,  of  all  the  feathered  tribes  that  visit  us  from  the  frozen 
regions  of  the  North,  —  their  migrations  extending  from  the  arctic 
circle,  and  probably  beyond  it,  to  the  shores  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico, 
spreading  over  the  whole  breadth  of  the  United  States,  from  the 
Atlantic  Ocean  to  Louisiana ;  how  much  farther  westward,  I  am 
unable  to  say.  About  the  20th  of  October,  they  make  their  first 
appearance  in  those  parts  of  Pennsylvania  east  of  tha  Alleghany 
Mountains.  At  first  they  are  most  generally  seen  on  the  borders 
of  woods  among  the  falling  and  decayed  leaves,  in  loose  flocks  of 
thirty  or  forty  together,  always  taking  to  the  trees  when  disturbed. 
As  the  weather  sets  in  colder,  they  approach  nearer  the  farm-house 
and  villages ;  and,  on  the  appearance  of  what  is  usually  called  fall- 
ing weather,  assemble  in  larger  flocks,  and  seem  doubly  diligent  in 
searching  for  food.  This  increased  activity  is  generally  a  sure  prog- 
nostic of  a  storm.  When  deep  snows  cover  the  ground,  thoy 
become  almost  half  domesticated.  They  collect  about  the  barn, 
stables,  and  other  out-houses,  spread  over  the  yard,  and  even  round 
the  steps  of  the  door,  not  only  in  the  country  and  villages,  but 
in  the  heart  of  our  large  cities ;  crowding  around  the  threshold 
early  in  tiie  morning,  gleaning  up  the  crumbs ;  appearing  very  lively 
and  familiar.  They  have  also  recourse,  at  this  severe  season,  when 
the  face  of  the  earth  is  shut  up  from  them,  to  the  seeds  of  many 


y iiwi 


t 


316 


ORNITHOLOOY  AND   OOLOGY. 


kinds  of  weeds  that  still  rise  above  the  snow  in  corners  of  fields, 
and  low,  sheltered  situations,  along  the  borders  of  creeks  and  fences, 
where  they  associate  with  several  other  species  of  Sparrows.  They 
are,  at  this  time,  easily  caught  with  almost  any  kind  of  trap ;  are 
generally  fat,  and,  it  is  said,  are  excellent  eating. 

"  I  cannot  but  consider  this  bird  as  the  most  numerous  of  its 
tribe  of  any  within  the  United  States.  From  the  northern  parts 
of  the  District'  of  Maine  to  the  Ogeechee  River  in  Georgia,  —  a 
distance,  by  the  circuitous  route  in  which  I  travelled,  of  more  than 
eighteen  hundred  miles,  —  I  never  passed  a  day,  and  scarcely  a 
mile,  without  seeing  numbers  of  these  birds,  and  frequently  large 
flocks  of  several  thousands.  Other  travellers  with  whom  I  con- 
versed, who  hud  come  from  Lexington,  in  Kentucky,  through  Vir- 
ginia, also  declared  that  they  found  these  birds  numerous  along  the 
whole  road.  It  should  be  observed,  that  the  roadsides  are  their 
favorite  haunts,  where  many  rank  weeds  that  grow  along  the 
fences  furnish  them  with  food,  and  the  road  with  gravel.  In 
the  vicinity  of  places  where  they  were  most  numerous,  I  observed 
a  Small  Hawk,  and  several  others  of  his  tribe,  watching  their 
opportunity,  or  hovering  cautiously  around,  making  an  occasional 
sweep  among  them,  and  retiring  to  the  bare  branches  of  an  old 
cypress  to  feed  on  their  victims.  In  the  month  of  April,  when  the 
weather  begins  to  be  warm,  they  are  observed  to  ■  otreat  to 
the  woods,  and  to  prefer  the  shaded  sides  of  hills  and  thickets ;  at 
which  time,  the  males  warble  out  a  few  very  low,  sweet  notes,  and 
are  almost  perpetually  pursuing  and  fighting  with  each  other. 
About  the  20th  of  April,  they  take  their  leave  of  our  humble 
regions,  and  retire  to  the  North  and  to  the  high  ranges  of  the  Alle- 
ghany to  build  their  nests  and  rear  their  young.  In  some  of  those 
ranges,  in  the  interior  of  Virginia,  and  northward,  about  the  wa- 
ters of  the  west  branch  of  the  Susquehanna,  they  breed  in  great 
numbers.  The  nest  is  fixed  in  the  ground,  or  among  the  grass ; 
sometimes  several  being  within  a  small  distance  of  each  other. 
According  to  the  observations  of  the  gentlemen  residing  at  Hudson- 
Bay  Factory,  they  arrive  there  about  the  beginning  of  June,  stay 
a  week  or  two,  and  proceed  farther  north  to  breed.  They  return 
to  that  settlement  in  the  autumn,  on  their  way  to  the  South. 

1  Kow  State. 


4i 


THE   TREE   SPARROW. 


317 


"In  some  parts  of  New  England,  I  found  'lie  opinion  pretty 
general,  that  the  Snowbird,  in  summer,  is  trai  tformed  into  the 
Small  Chipping  Sparrow,  which  we  find  so  common  in  that  season. 
I  had  convinced  a  gentleman  of  New  York  of  his  mistake  in  this 
matter,  by  taking  him  to  the  house  of  a  Mr.  Gautier  there,  who 
amuses  himself  by  keeping  a  great  number  of  native  as  well  as 
foreign  birds.  This  was  in  the  month  of  July;  and  the  Snow- 
bird appeared  then  in  the  same  colored  plumage  he  usually  has. 
Several  individuals  of  the  Chipping  Sparrow  were  also  in  the  same 
apartment.  The  evidence  was,  therefore,  irresistible;  but,  as  I 
had  not  the  same  proofs  to  offer  to  the  eye  in  New  England,  I  had 
not  the  same  success. 

"  There  must  be  something  in  the  temperature  of  the  blood  or 
constitution  of  this  bird,  which  unfits  it  for  residing,  during  sum- 
mer, in  the  lower  parts  of  the  United  States,  as  the  country  here  ' 
abounds  with  a  great  variety  of  food,  of  which,  during  its  stay,  it 
appears  to  be  remarkably  fond.  Or  perhaps  its  habit  of  associating 
in  such  numbers  to  breed,  and  building  its  nest  with  so  little  pre- 
caution, may,  to  insure  its  safety,  require  a  solitary  region,  far  from 
the  intruding  footsteps  of  man." 


SPIZELLA,  Bonaparte. 

Spizella,  Bonaparte,  Geog.  and  Comp.  List  (1838).  (Type  Fringitta  Cancu'en- 
ti$,  Lath.) 

Bill  conical,  the  outlines  slightly  curved;  the  lower  mandible  decidedl3'' lower 
than  the  upper;  the  commissure  gently  sinuated;  the  rnof  of  the  mouth  not 
knobbed;  feet  slender;  tarsus  ratlier  longer  than  the  middle  toe;  the  binder  toe  a 
little  longer  than  the  outer  lateral,  which  slightly  exceeds  the  inner;  the  outer  claw 
reaching  the  base  of  the  middle  one,  and  half  as  long  as  its  toe;  claws  moderately 
curved;  tertiaries  and  secondaries  nearly  equal;  wing  somewhat  pointed,  reaching 
not  quite  to  the  middle  of  the  tail ;  first  quill  a  little  shorter  than  the  second  and 
equal  to  the  fifth,  third  longest;  tail  rather  long,  moderately  forked,  and  divaricated 
at  the  tip;  the  feathers  rather  narrow;  back  streaked;  rump  and  beneath  immacu- 
late ;  hood  generally  uniform. 

The  genus  differs  from  Zottotrichia  in  the  smaller  size,  and  longer  and  forked 
instead  of  rounded  tail. 

SPIZELLA   UONTICOLA.  —  Baird. 

The  Tree  Sparrow. 

FringiUa  monticola,  Gmelin.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1788)  912. 

FringiUa  Canadentu,  Audubon.    Om.  Biog.,  IL  (1834)  611;  V.  604. 

FringiUa  arborea,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  IL  (1810)  13. 


i 


818 


ORNITHOLOQY   AND   OOLOGY. 


Descriptioh. 

Middle  of  back  with  the  feathers  dark-brown  centrally,  then  rufoua,  and  edge<l 
•with  palefulvous  (sometimes  with  whitiuh).  Hood  and  upper  part  of  nape  continu- 
oua  chestnut;  a  line  of  the  same  I'rom  behind  the  eye;  sides  of  head  and  neck  ashy; 
a  broad  light  sujierciliary  band;  beneath  whitish,  with  a  small  circular  blotch  of 
brownish  in  the  middle  of  the  upper  part  of  the  breast;  edges  of  tail  feathers,  pri- 
marj-  quills,  and  two  bands  across  the  tips  of  the  secondaries,  white ;  tertiaries  nearly 
black;  edged  externally  with  rufous,  turning  to  white  near  the  tips;  lower  jaw  yel- 
low ;  upper  black. 

This  species  varies  in  the  amount  of  whitish  edging  to  the  quills  and  tail. 

Length,  six  and  twenty-five  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  tliree  inches. 

Hab.  —  Eastern  North  America  to  the  Missouri;  also  on  Pole  Creek  and  Little 
Colerado  River,  New  Mexico. 

This  species  occurs  in  New  England  only  as  a  winter 
visitor.  It  arrives  from  the  North  about  the  last  of  October, 
and  remains  in  swamps  and  sheltered  thickets  through  the 
winter,  and  until  the  first  week  in  May.  While  with  us,  it 
is  gregarious,  and  often  visits  stubble-fields  and  gardens, 
where  it  feeds  upon  the  seeds  of  grasses  and  various  weeds. 
It  has,  at  this  season, -a  persistent  twitt'?r,  which  is  uttered 
by  all  the  members  of  the  flock  at  short  intervals.  As  it 
sometimes  utters  a  sweet  soft  warble  in  the  spring,  it  un- 
doubtedly possesses  quite  a  song  during  the  mating  season. 

It  is  not  impossible  that  this  bird  sometimes  breeds  in 
the  most  northern  sections  of  these  States ;  but  there  is  no 
authenticated  instance  on  record  of  its  doing  so.  The  bird 
alluded  to  in  the  "  Proceedings  of  the  Boston  Society  of 
Natural  History"  (vol.  V.  p.  213)  was  undoubtedly  the 
Chipping  Sparrow. 

The  Tree  Sparrow  breeds,  according  to  Mr.  Hutchins, 
around  the  Hudson's  Bay  settlements.  "  Its  nest  is  placed 
in  the  herbage,  is  formed  externally  of  mud  and  dry 
grass,  and  lined  with  soft  hair  or  down,  —  probably  from 
plants, — in  the  manner  of  the  Yellow-bird."  The  eggs 
are  about  five  in  number:  they  are  of  a  light  grayish-blue 
color,  and  are  marked  with  spots  and  blotches  of  two  shades 
of  brown  and  red.  To  compare  them  with  another  species, 
I  would  say  that  they  almost  exactly  resemble  small  speci- 
mens of  the  eggs  of  the  common  Song  Sparrow.    They  are 


THE   FIELD   SPARROW. 


319 


ovato  or  ovoidal  iu  form,  and  average  about  .73  by   56  inch 
in  dimensions. 

SPIZELLA    FUSILLA Bonaparte. 

>  The  Field  Sparrow. - 
FringiUa  putitta,  Wilson.    Am.  Orn.,  11.  (1810)  121;  Aud.  Orn.  Biog ,  11.  (1884) 


Spizella  ptuiUa,  Bonaparte.    List  (1888). 
FringiUa  juncorum,  Nuttall.    Man.,  I.  (1832)  499. 


lb.  (Sd  ed.,  1840),  677. 


Debcription. 

Bill  red;  crown  continuous  rufous-red;  back  somewhat  similar,  streaked  with 
blackish;  sides  of  head  and  neck  (including  a  superciliary  stripe)  ashy;  ear  coverts 
rufous;  beneath  white,  tinged  with  yellowish  anteriorly;  tail  feathers  and  quills 
faintly  edged  with  white;  two  white  bands  acroSs  the  wing  coverts. 

Tliis  species  is  about  the  size  of  8.  $ocialis,  but  is  more  rufous  above;  lacks  the 
black  forehead  and  eye-stripe;  has  chestnut  ears  instead  of  ash;  has  the  bill  red 
instead  of  black;  locks  the  clear  ash  of  the  rump;  has  a  longer  tail,  &c.  It  is 
more  like  MonticoUi,  but  is  much  smaller;  lacks  the  spot  on  the  breast  and  the 
predominance  of  white  on  the  wings,  &c.  The  young  have  the  breast  and  sides 
streaked. 

Length,  about  five  and  seventy-five  one  hundredths  inches ;  wing,  two  and  thirty- 
four  one  hundredths  inches. 

Hab.  —  Eastern  North  America  to  the  Missouri  River. 

This  bird  makes  its  appearance  about  the  first  week  in 
April,  in  Massachusetts,  and  soon  scatters  throughout  New 
England.  It  prefers  dry  bushy  pastures  and  low  open 
woods,  and  is  seldom  found  in  the  near  vicinage  of  human 
habitations. 

The  male  sings  during  the  season  of  incubation,  and, 
indeed,  through  nearly  all  the  summer :  mounted  on  a  low 
tree  or  fence-rail,  he  utters  his  pleasing  yet  plaintive  ditty 
at  early  morning  and  evening,  and,  in  dark  and  cloudy 
weather,  through  the  whole  day.  The  song  is  a  peculiar 
warble,  something  like  the  syllables.  He  'de  'de  'de  'de  'de  'de 
*d  'c? '(?  dr,  uttered  at  first  low,  and  rapidly  increasing,  and 
then  decreasing  in  tone  to  a  faint  chatter,  something  like  the 
twitter  of  the  Chipping  Sparrow. 

About  the  middle  of  May,  the  first  nest  is  built.    It  is  con 
structed  of  stalks  of  dried  grass  and  fine  twigs,  is  loosely 
put  together,  and  placed  usually  on  the  ground  beneath  a 


i  I 


iiiiiiliHii* 


820 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND   OOLOGY. 


I 


if 


bush,  soniotimca  in  a  bush :  it  is  Ihied  with  fmo  grass  and 
horsolmirs.  Tho  eggs  are  usually  four  in  number :  they  are 
of  a  grayish-white  color,  with  thinly  scattered  spots  and 
blotches  of  reddish-brown  and  lavender ;  and  their  dinion- 
sionn  vary  from  .72  by  .52  to  .70  by  .50  inch.  Two  broods 
are  reared  in  the  season. 

Early  ui  September,  these  birds  collect  in  loose  flocks, 
when  thoy  have  all  the  habits  and  notes  of  tho  Tree  Sj)ar- 
row.  In  October,  they  all  leave  New  England  for  the 
South. 

SFIZELLA  SOCIkLlS.  —  BonaparU. 

"f  The  Chipping  Sparrow ;  Hair-bird.  - 

Fringilla  tocialii,  Wilson.  Am.  Cm.,  IL  (IJ^IO)  127 ;  Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  IL  (1834) 
21;  V.  617.  • 

Spinites  sociaiis,  Cabonis.    Mus.  Hein.  (1851),  188. 

Description. 

Rump,  back  of  neck,  and  sides  of  neck  and  head,  ashy ;  Interscapular  region  with 
black  streaks,  margined  with  f ale-rufous;  crown  continuous  and  uniform  chestnut; 
forehead  black,  separated  in  the  middle  by  white ;  a  white  streak  over  the  eye,  and 
a  black  one  from  the  base  of  the  bill  through  and  behind  the  eye ;  under  parta  un- 
spotted whitish,  tinged  with  ashy,  especially  across  the  upper  breast;  tail  feathers 
and  primaries  edged  with  paler,  not  white;  two  narrow  white  bands  across  the  wing 
coverts;  bill  black. 

Length,  five  and  seventy-five  one-hundredths  inches ;  wmg,  nearly  three  inches. 

Hab.  —  North  America,  from  Atlantic  to  Paciflc. 

This  very  common  and  well-known  little  species  makes  its 
appearance  in  Massachusetts  sometimes  as  early  as  the  25th 
of  March ,^  usually  about  the  5th  of  April,  and  spreads 
throughout  New  England.  The  habits  are  so  well  known 
that  any  description  here  is  superfluous. 

About  the  fifteenth  of  May ,^  the  nest  is  built.  It  is 
placed  in  an  apple-tree  in  the  orchard,  or  in  a  lilac-bush 
under  the  windows  of  a  dwelling-house ;  and  I  found  nests 
in  low  juniper  bushes  in  the  deep  woods  in  Maine.    It  is 

1  I  am  indebted  for  the  thne  of  the  arrival  of  this  and  of  many  other  birds  to 
Mr.  H.  A.  Purdie,  of  Boston,  who  has  kindly  fUrnished  me  with  fiiU  and  copious 
notes  and  memoranda  on  the  arrival  of  species,  which  are  of  value,  having  been  con- 
ducted for  several  years. 


••|'h»1ii'*ii"IMiM 


* 


THE   BONO    SPAHBOW. 


821 


constructed  of  fine  twigs  and  roots  and  grasses,  and  is  almost 
invariably  lined  with  horsoliairs ;  lienco  its  name,  in  some 
localities,  of  "Hair-bird,"  "  Hair  Sparrow."  The  eggs  are 
usually  five  in  number.  Their  color  is  a  bluish-green  ;  and 
they  are  marked  with  spots  and  lines  of  black  and  obscure- 
brown,  which  are  thickest  at  the  groat  end  :  some  specimens 
have  these  spots  confluent  into  a  sort  of  ring.  The  dimen- 
sions vary  from  .74  by  .50  to  .70  by  .48  inch.  This  species 
is  the  most  often  chosen  by  the  parasitic  Cow-l)ird  as  a  parent 
for  its  young ;  and  many  ornithologists  account  by  this  fact 
for  its  persistent  familiarity  with  man. 

About  the  middle  of  October,  the  old  and  young  birds 
gather  into  small  flocks,  and  proceed  leisurely  ou  the  south- 
ern migration. 

MELOSPIZA,  Baibd. 

Body  stout  i  bill  conical,  very  obsoletely  notched  or  emooth,  somewhat  com- 
pressed; lower  mandible  not  so  deep  as  the  upper;  commissure  nearly  straight;  gonys 
a  little  curved;  feet  stout,  not  stretching  beyond  the  tail;  tarsus  a  little  longer 
than  the  middle  toe;  outer  toe  a  little  longer  than  the  inner,  its  claw  not  quite 
reaching  to  the  base  of  the  middle  one;  hind  toe  appreciably  longer  than  the  middle 
one;  wings  quite  short  and  rounded,  scarcely  reaching  beyond  the  base  of  tlie  tail; 
the  tertials  considerably  longer  than  the  secondaries;  the  quills  considerably  gradu- 
ated; the  fourth  longest;  the  first  not  longer  than  the  tertials,  and  almost  the  short- 
est of  the  primaries;  tail  moderately  long,  and  considerably  graduated;  the  feather* 
oval  at  the  tips;  crown  and  back  similar  in  color  and  streaked;  beneath  thickir 
streaked;  tail  immaculate. 

This  genus  diflers  from  Zonolrichia  in  shorter,  more  graduated  tail,  rather  longer 
hind  toe,  much  more  rounded  wing,  which  is  shorter;  the  tertiaries  longer;  the  first 
quill  almost  the  shortest,  and  not  longer  than  the  tertials.  The  under  parts  aro 
spotted;  the  crcvni  streaked  and  like  the  back. 

MELOSPIZA   MEIODIA.— iJaiW. 

ydhe  Song  Sparrow.^ 

FringiUa  melodia,  Wilson.  Am.  Om.,  H.  (1810)  125 ;  Aud.  Om.  BioK.,  I.  (1882) 
128;  V.  607. 

Dkscbittioh. 
General  tint  of  upper  p..ft8  rufous-brown,  streaked  with  dark-brown  and  ashy- 
gray;  the  crown  is  rufous,  with  a  superciliary  and  median  stripe  of  dull-gray,  the 
former  lighter;  nearly  white  anteriorly,  where  it  has  a  fiiint  shade  of  yellow;  each 
feather  of  the  crown  with  a  narrow  streak  of 'dark-brown;  interscapulars  dark- 
brown  in  the  centre,  then  rufous,  then  grayish  on  the  margin;  rump  grayer  than 

21 


»W»WW?aaaa»BBSaM=5(ag5i5gi/.;«c!^.ji 


I 


822 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOOT. 


M 

M 


Ml 


upper  fall  covtrti,  both  with  obsolete  dark  itrcaki;  there  Ig  a  whitish  maxillarr 
•tripe,  bordered  above  and  below  by  one  of  dark  rufous-brown,  with  a  similar  ona 
from  behind  the  eye;  the  under  parts  are  whites  the  breast  and  sides  of  body  and 
throat  streaked  with  dark-rufous,  with  a  still  darker  central  line;  on  the  middle  of 
the  breast,  these  marks  are  ratJier  aggregated  so  as  to  form  a  spot;  no  distinct  wliita 
on  tail  or  winga. 

Specimens  vary  somewhat  in  having  the  streaks  across  the  breast  more  or  less 
sparse;  the  spot  more  or  less  distinct.  In  autumn,  the  colors  are  more  blended,  the 
light  maxillnry  stripe  tinged  with  yellowish,  the  edges  of  the  dusky  streaks  sutTused 
with  brownish-rufous. 

The  young  bird  has  the  upper  parts  paler,  the  streaks  more  distinct,  the  lines  on 
the  head  scarcely  appreciable.  The  under  parts  are  yellowish ;  the  streaks  narrower 
and  more  sharply  defined  dark-brown. 

LengUi  of  male,  six  and  fifty  one-hundrodths  inches  j  wing,  two  and  fifty-eight 
one-hundrcdths;  tail,  three  inches. 

ffab.  —Eastern  United  States  to  the  high  central  plains. 

This  beautiful  songster  is  one  of  the  most  common  and 
well-known  of  our  summer  visitors.  It  arrives  from  about 
the  first  week  in  March  to  tlie  middle  of  that  mouth.  On 
its  first  appearance,  it  prefers  the  low  thickets  and  bushy 
woods,  where,  at  all  hours  of  the  day,  it  chants  its  beautiful 
song.  It  is  somewhat  gregarious  at  this  time,  and  is 
usually  found  in  flocks  of  half  a  dozen  individuals.  It  soon 
commences  mating ;  and,  after  a  short  season  of  courtship, 
both  birds  begin  building  their  first  nest.  This  is  about  the 
middle  of  April,  sometimes  earlier ;  and  I  have  found  the 
nest  with  eggs  when  there  was  an  inch  or  two  of  snow  on 
the  ground.  The  nest  is  usually  built  on  the  ground,  some- 
times in  a  low  bush,  and  occasionally  in  low  trees :  it  is 
constructed  of  stalks  and  leaves,  of  grasses  and  weeds,  and 
is  lined  with  softer  grasses  and  fine  weeds.  The  eggs  are 
four  or  five  in  number,  and  they  are  subject  to  great  varia- 
tions in  form  and  markings :  they  exhibit  all  the  changes 
from  grayish  to  bluish-white,  with  spots,  thinly  scattered, 
of  reddish-brown,  to  confluent  blotches  of  umber-brown, 
thickest  at  the  greater  end.  Their  dimensions  vary  from 
.94  by  .64  to  .78  by  .62  inch.  Pour  eggs  in  one  nest 
measure  .94  by  .64,  .84  by  .66,  .80  by  .58,  .78  by  .62. 
inch.  Two  broods,  and  sometimes  three,  are  reared  in  the 
season. 


f 


f 


( 


J. 


aaa 


THE   SWAMP   RPAUnOW. 


I 


828 


Thoro  has  boon  considorablo  discussion  among  omitliolo- 
gistg  regarding  this  bird ;  and  many  are  of  tlio  boliof,  that, 
from  its  irregular  habits,  there  are  two  species  found  in 
Now  England.  I  have  examined  with  groat  caro  many 
Bpecimens,  and  have  attentively  obHorvod  tlioir  habits,  and 
think  that  it  yet  remains  to  be  proved  that  wo  have  more 
than  one  species.  Late  in  Octobot ,  tliis  species  assembles  in 
small  detached  flocks,  and  leaves  New  England  for  its 
souihorn  home. 


t 


MELOSPIZA  PALITSTBIS. -^aird 
X  The  Swamp  Sparrow.-* 

(188^)  m?rS^*'  '^"'°'''    ^'^'  °'"'  "^-  ^""'  "•     '^"''-  °"'-  ^'"K-  ^ 
FringiUa  (Ammodromm)  Gtorgiana,  Nuttall.    Man.,  I.  (2d  ed.,  1840)  688. 

Dkschiption. 
Middle  of  the  crown  uniform  cliestnut)  forehead  black;  iuperclliary  ttretk 
iides  of  hea<l  and  back  and  .ides  of  neck,  ash;  .  brown  etripa  behind  the  eye;  back 
broadly  streaked  with  black;  beneath  whitish,  tinged  with  aahy  anteriorly,  esp^ 
cially  across  the  breast,  and  washed  with  yellowish-brown  on  the  sides;  a  few  obso- 
lete streaks  across  the  breast,  which  become  distinct  on  its  sides;  wings  and  tail 
strongly  tinged  with  rufous;  the  tertials  black,  the  rufous  edgings  chanjrinir 
abrupUy  to  white  towards  the  end. 

Female  with  the  crown  scarcely  reddish  streaked  with  black,  and  divided  by  a 
light  line.  ' 

In  autumn  the  male  of  this  species  has  the  feathers  of  the  crown  each  with  a 
black  streak;  and  the  centre  of  the  crown  with  an  indistinct  light  stripe,  materially 
changing  its  appearance. 

The  forehead  is  usually  more  or  less  streaked  with  black. 

Length,  five  and  seventy-flve  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  two  and  forty  one- 
hundredths  inches. 

Hid). — Eastern  United  States  ftom  the  Athintic  to  the  Missouri. 

This  bird,  although  not  rare,  is  not  so  common  as  "the  41 
preceding.  It  is  about  equally  distributed  throughout  New 
England,  and  breeds  in  all  those  States.  It  arrives  from 
the  South  about  the  first  week  in  April  in  Massachusetts ; 
in  Maine,  about  a  fortnight  later.  It  prefers  the  swampy 
localities  to  all  othfers,  and  is  seldom  found  at  any  distance 
from  such  places.  The  nest  is  built  about  the  10th  of  May. 
It  is  constructed  of  leaves  of  grass  and  fine  hair-like  roots, 


i. 


if 


I 


f- 


824 


ORNITHOrOOY   AND  OOLOOT. 


and  lined  with  finer  of  tho  same :  those  are  adjusted  into  a 
looHo  fabrio,  and  placed  in  or  beneath  a  tuBRook  of  grass  in 
a  swamp.  I  havo  known  of  instances  of  its  being  found 
in  a  low  barborry-bush ;  but  such  cases  are  oxtromcly  rare, 
and  form  exceptions  to  tho  rule.  Tlie  eggs  are  four  or  five 
in  number:  their  color  is  a  grayish-white,  with  sometimes  a 
bluish  tint,  and  marked  with  thinly  scattered  spots  of  brown 
over  tho  entire  surface,  except  a  circle  around  tho  greater 
end,  where  they  are  confluent,  and  hide  tho  primary  color. 
Dimensions  of  a  number  in  my  cabinet  vary  from  .80 
by  .58  to  .76  by  .64  inch.  Two  broods  are  reared  in  the 
season. 

Wilson,  in  describing  tho  general  habits  of  this  species, 
says, — 

"  It  is  one  of  our  summer  visitants,  arriving  in  Pennsylvania 
early  in  April ;  frequenting  low  grounds  and  river  courses ;  rearing 
two,  and  sometimes  three,  broods  in  a  season  ;  and  returning  to  the 
South  as  soon  as  tho  cold  weather  commences.  The  immense 
cypress  swamps  and  extensive  grassy  flats  of  the  Southern  States, 
that  border  their  numerous  rivers,  and  the  rich  rice  plantations, 
abounding  with  their  favorite  seeds  and  sustenance,  —  appear  to 
be  the  general  winter  resort  and  grand  annual  rendezvous  of  this 
and  all  the  other  species  of  Sparrow  that  remain  with  us  during 
summer.  From  the  river  Trent  in  North  Carolina  to  that  of 
Savannah,  and  ctill  farther  south,  I  found  this  species  very  numer- 
ous ;  not  flying  in  flocks,  but  skulking  among  the  canes,  reeds,  ard 
grass,  seeming  shy  and  timorous,  and  more  attached  to  the  water 
than  any  other  of  their  tribe.  In  the  month  of  April,  numbers 
pass  through  Pennsylvania  to  the  northward ;  which  1  conjecture 
from  the  circumstance  of  flnding  them  at  that  season  in  particular 
parts  of  the  woods,  where,  during  the  rest  of  the  year,  they  are 
not  to  be  seen.  The  few  that  remain  frequent  the  swamps  and 
reedy  borders  of  our  creeks  and  rivers.  They  form  theii  nest  in 
the  ground,  sometimes  in  a  tussock  of  rank  grass  surrounded  by 
water,  and  lay  four  eggs,  of  a  dirty-white,  spotted  with  rufous.  So 
late  as  the  15lh  of  August,  I  have  seen  them  feeding  their  young 
that  were  scarcely  able  to  fly.    Their  principal  food  is  grass  seeds, 


T 


!«" 


tod  into  a 
f  grass  ill 
ling  found 
mcly  raro, 
jur  or  five 
inotimos  a 
i  of  brown 
l»o  greater 
lary  color, 
from  .80 
od  in  the 

is  species, 

snnsylvania 
es;  rearing 
ning  to  the 
e  immense 
em  States, 
plantations, 
-appear  to 
ous  of  this 
us  during 
to  that  of 
ery  numer- 
I  reeds,  ard 
I  the  water 
il,  numbers 
conjecture 
particular 
r,  they  are 
ramps  and 
eii  nest  in 
ounded  by 
ufous.  So 
deir  young 
[rasB  seeds, 


f 


THE    FOX-COLORED   SPAUllOW. 


825 


wild  oats,  and  insects.  Thoy  have  no  song ;  arc  distinguished  by  a 
single  cA'jj  or  cheep,  uttered  in  a  rather  hoarser  tone  dum  thut  <.f 
the  Song  Sparrow ;  flirt  the  tail  hf  they  fly  ;  seldom  or  never  take 
to  the  trees,  but  skulk  from  one  low  bush  or  swampy  thicket  to 
another." 


Sub-Family  PASSERELLiNiE. — The  Bunting$. 

Toe.  and  claws  very  .toutj  the  lateral  claws  reaching  beyond  the  middle  of  tna 
middle  one;  all  very  slightly  curved. 

Bill  conical,  the  outlines  straight;  both  mandibles  equal;  wings  long,  longer 
than  the  even  tail,  reaching  nearly  to  the  middle  of  its  exposed  portion;  hind  clew 
longer  than  its  digit;  its  toe  nearly  as  long  as  the  middle  toe;  tarsus  longer  than 
the  middle  toei  brown  above,  either  uniformly  lo  or  fainUy  streaked ;  trianKular 
■pots  below. 

PASSERELLA,  Swainson. 

Pa»trtUa,  Swain.on,  Class.  Biitls,  II.  (1887)  288.  (Typo  FringiUa  iliaea, 
Merrcm.)  ' 

Body  stout;  bill  conical,  not  notched,  the  outlines  straight;  the  two  jaws  of 
equal  depth;  roof  of  upper  mandible  deeply  excavated,  and  vaulted,  not  knobbed- 
tarsus  scarcely  longer  than  the  middle  toe;  outer  »oe  little  longer  than  the  inner  iU 
claw  reaching  to  the  middle  of  the  central  one;  hind  toe  about  equal  to  the  "inner 
lateral;  the  claws  all  long,  and  moderately  curved  only;  the  posterior  rulher  longer 
than  the  middle,  and  equ.l  to  its  toe;  wings  long,  pointed,  .caching  to  the  middle 
of  the  tail;  the  tertials  not  longer  than  secondaries;  second  and  thir-t  quill;,  longest- 
first  equal  to  the  fifth;  tail  very  nearly  even,  scarcely  longer  tlian  Uie  wing;  inner 
claw  contamed  scarcely  one  and  a  half  times  in  its  toe  proper. 

Co/or.  — Rufous  or  slr'y;  obsoletely  streaked  or  uuiform  above;  thickly  spotted 
with  triangular  blotches  beneath. 

PASSBBEUA  IUACA,-St«.|-fi««i. 

The  Foz.eolored  Sparrow. 

Fringiaa  iliaea,  Auduboff.    Om.  Diog.,  II.  (1884)  68;  V.  612. 
Paueretki  iliaea,  Swainson.    Birds,  II.  (1887)  288. 
FringiUa  riffa,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  III.  (1811)  68. 

DK8CKm;ioM. 
Middle  of  the  back  dull-ash,  each  feather  with  a  large  blotch  of  brownish-red, 
top  of  head  and  neck,  with  rump,  similar,  but  with  smaller  and  more  obsolete 
blotches;  upper  tail  coverts,  with  exposed  surface  of  wings  and  tail,  bright-rufous ; 
beneath  white,  with  the  upper  part  of  the  breast  and  sides  of  throat  an.l  body  with 
triangular  spoto  of  rufous,  and  a  few  smaller  ones  of  blackish  on  the  middle  of  the 


"•■■^^^^IP 


^.a,p~-— MMt^^ 


326 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


!  i( 


II 


breast;  inner  edges  of  quills  and  tail  feathers  tinged  with  rufous-pink;  no  liglit  lines 
on  the  head,  but  a  patch  of  rufous  on  the  checks;  first  quill  rather  less  than  the 
fifth;  hind  toe  about  equal  to  its  claw;  sometimes  the  encire  head  above  is  reddish, 
like  the  back. 

Length,  about  seven  and  fifty  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  three  and  fifty  one- 
hundredths  inches. 

Hah.  —  Eastern  United  States  to  the  Mississippi. 

This  beautiful  Sparrow  is  very  abundant  in  spring  and 
autumn  in  New  England,  arriving  in  spring  carlj  in  March, 
and  departing  for  the  North  by  the  third  week  in  April ;  and 
arriving  in  autumn  from  the  North  about  the  10th  of  Octo- 
ber, and  departing  for  the  South  late  in  November.  While 
with  us,  it  remains  in  low,  moist  thickets  and  woody  pas- 
tures ;  and  occasionally  visits  the  stubble-fields  and  gardens, 
where  it  busies  itself  in  searching  among  the  dead  leaves 
and  weeds  for  its  food  of  seeds  and  insects.  It  generally 
has,  while  in  New  England,  only  a  short,  lisping  note,  occa- 
sionally a  pretty  warble  ;  but  it  is  said  to  have  in  its  northern 
home  a  beautiful  song,  that  is  excelled  by  that  of  hardly 
any  other  species.  Audubon,  in  describing  the  nest  and 
eggs,  says,  "  Tlie  nest  of  the  Fox-colored  Sparrow,  which 
is  large  for  the  size  of  the  bird,  is  usually  placed  on  the 
ground,  among  moss  or  tall  grass,  near  the  stem  of  a  creep- 
ing fir,  the  branches  of  which  completely  conceal  it  from 
view.  Its  outside  is  loosely  formed  of  dry  grass  and  moss, 
with  a  carefully  disposed  inner  layer  of  finer  grasses,  circu- 
larly arranged;  and  the  lining  consists  of  very  delicate 
fibrous  roots,  together  with  some  feathers  from  different 
species  of  water-fowls.  The  period  at  which  the  eggs  are 
laid  is  from  the  middle  of  June  to  the  5th  of  July.  They 
are  proportionally  large,  four  or  five  in  number,  rather 
sharp  at  the  smaller  end,  of  a  dull-greenish  tint,  sprinkled 
with  irregular  small  blotches  of  brown."  Their  dimensions 
average  about  .86  by  .62  inch. 


..  .si 


ill 


I 


rather 


-^ 


THE  BLACK-THROATED   BUNTING.  327 


Sub-Family  SpizinjE. 

Bil'  variable,  always  large,  much  arched,  and  with  the  colmen  considerably 
carved;  sometimes  of  enormouu  size,  and  with  a  great  development  baeiiwards  of 
the  lower  jaw,  which  is  always  appreciably,  sometimes  considerably,  broader  behind 
than  the  upper  jaw  iit  its  base;  nostrils  exposed;  tail  rather  variable;  bill  generally 
black  or  red;  wings  shorter  than  in  the  first  group;  gape  almost  always  much  more 
strongly  bristled;  few  of  the  species  sparrow-like  or  plain  in  appearance;  usually 
blue,  red,  or  black  and  white;  seldom  (or  never?)  streaked  beneath. 


EUSPIZA,  BOMAPARTE. 

Eu^nza,  Bonaparte,  List  (1838).    (Type  Emberiza  Amtricana,  Gm.; 

Bill  large  and  strong,  swollen,  and  without  any  ridges;  the  lower  mnndibla 
nearly  as  high  as  the  upper;  as  broad  at  the  base  as  the  length  of  the  gonys,  and 
considerably  broader  than  the  upper  mandible;  the  edges  much  inflexed,  and  shut- 
ting much  within  the  upper  mandible;  the  commissure  considerably  angulated  at 
the  base,  then  decidedly  sinuated;  the  tarsus  barely  equal  to  the  middle  too;  the 
lateral  toes  nearly  equal,  not  reaching  to  the  base  of  the  middle  claw ;  the  hind  toe 
about  equal  to  the  middle  one  without  its  claw ;  the  wings  long  and  acute,  reaching 
nearly  to  the  middle  of  the  tail ;  the  tertials  decidedly  longer  than  the  secondaries, 
but  much  shorter  than  the  primaries ;  first  quill  longest,  the  others  regularly  gradu- 
ated; tail  considerably  shorter  than  the  wings,  though  moderately  long,  nearly  even, 
although  slightly  emarginate;  the  outer  feathers  scarcely  shorter;  middle  of  back 
only  stiiped;  beneath  without  streaks. 

ZHSFIZA  AXERKASA.  — Bonaparte. 

The  Blaok-throated  Bunting, 

jFmJema  Americana,  Gmelin.  Syst.  Nat,  L  (1788)  872.  Wils.  Am.  Om.,  IIL 
(1811)  86.    Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  IV.  (1888)  679. 

Eutpiza  Americana,  Bonaparte.     List  (1888).    (Type.)     lb.,  Consp.  (1860),  469. 
Ewpina  Americana,  Cabanis.    Mus.  Hein.  (1861),  183.    (Type.) 

Description. 

ifale,  —  Sides  of  the  head,  and  sides  and  back  of  the  neck,  asli ;  crown  tinged  with 
yellowish-green  and  faintly  streaked  with  dusky;  a  superciliary  and  short  msxillaiy 
line,  middle  of  the  breast,  axillaries,  and  edge  of  the  wing,  yellow;  chin,  loral 
region,  spota  on  sides  of  throat,  belly,  and  under  tail  coverts  white;  a  black  patch 
on  the  throat  diminishing  to  the  breast,  and  a  spot  on  the  upper  part  of  the  belly; 
wing  coverts  chestnut;  interscapular  region  streaked  with  black;  rest  of  back 
immaculate. 

Femak  with  the  markings  less  distinctly  indicated;  the  black  of  the  breast 
replaced  by  a  black  maxillary  line  and  a  streaked  collar  in  the  yellow  of  the  upper 
part  of  the  breast 

Length,  about  six  and  seventy  one-hnndredths  inches;  wing,  three  and  fifty  one- 
hundredths  inches. 

ffa6.— United  States  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  border  of  the  high  central  plaini. 


t 


■M4*- 


328 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


This  bird  can  be  regarded  only  as  an  extremely  rare 
summer  visitor  in  New  England,  Massachusetts  apparently 
being  its  northern  limit.  I  have  heard  of  two  or  three 
specimens  being  found  in  this  State,  and  it  is  possible  that 
others  may  have  occurred  here. 

The  nest  of  this  species  is  placed  on  the  ground,  usually 
in  a  dry  pasture  or  field,  and  most  generally  beneath  a  tuft 
of  grass  or  a  small  bush.  It  is  loosely  constructed  of  grass 
and  fine  roots  arranged  circularly,  and  with  a  finer  lining. 
The  eggs  are  four  in  number :  they  are  of  an  ovoidal  shape, 
and  are  but  little  pointed.  Their  dimensions  vary  from  .82 
by  .60  inch  to  .79  by  .58  inch:  their  color  is  a  delicate 
greenish-blue,  without  spots  or  markings. 

I  have  had  no  opportunities  for  observing  the  habits  of 
this  bird,  and  can  present  nothing  of  value  with  relation  to 
them. 

GUIRACA,  SwAiNSON. 

Guiraea,  Swainson,  Zool.  Jour,  III.  (Nov.,  1827)  850.  (Type  Loxia  ccerulea,  L.) 
Bill  very  large,  nearly  as  high  as  long;  the  culmen  curved,  with  a  rather  sharp 
ridge;  the  commissure  conspicuously  angulated  just  below  the  nostril,  the  posterior 
leg  of  the  angle  nearly  as  long  as  the  anterior,  both  nearly  straight;  lower  jaw 
deeper  than  the  upper,  and  extending  much  behind  the  forehead;  the  width  gi eater 
than  the  length  of  the  gonys,  considerably  wider  than  the  upper  jaw;  a  prominent 
knob  in  the  roof  of  the  mouth;  tarsi  shorter  than  the  middle  toe;  the  outer  toe  a 
little  longer,  reaching  not  quite  to  the  base  of  the  middle  claw;  hind  too  rather 
longer  than  to  this  base;  wings  long,  reaching  the  middle  of  the  tail;  the  seconda- 
ries and  tertials  nearly  equal ;  the  second  quill  longest ;  the  first  less  than  the  fourth ; 
tail  very  nearly  even,  shorter  than  the  wings. 


I 


61TISACA  LTTDOVICIANA.  — <»u>atn«on. 

/The  Bose-breasted  Grosbeak. — 

Lnxia  Ludoviciana,  Linnaeus.     Syst.  Nat.,  L  (1766)  806.    Wils.  Am.  Om.,  XL 
(1810)  135. 

Guiraea  Ludovictatia,  Swainson. 
FringiUa  Ludoviciana,  Audubon. 


Phil.  Mag.,  L  (1827)  4I»8. 

Om.  Biog.,  XL  (1834)  166;  V.  618. 


Description. 

Upper  parts  generally,  with  head  and  neck  all  round,  glossy  black;  a  broau 

crescent  across  the  upper  part  of  the  breast,  extending  narrowly  down  to  the  belly, 

axillaries,  and  under  wing  coverts,  carmine ;  rest  of  under  parts,  rump,  and  upper  tail 

coverts,  middle  wing  coverts,  spots  on  the  tertiaries  and  inner  great  wing  coverta, 


. 


iilM 


mely  rare 
apparently 
0  or  three 
isible  that 

d,  usually 
ath  a  tuft 
d  of  grass 
ler  lining, 
dal  shape, 
r  from  .82 
a  delicate 


habits  of 
elation  to 


a  eandea,  L.) 

rather  sharp 

the  posterior 

itj  lower  jaw 

width  gi  eater 

a  prominent 

e  outer  toe  a 

nd  toe  rather 

the  seconda- 

in  the  fourth; 


m.  Om.,  II. 


ck;  a  broau 
to  the  belly, 
nd  upper  tail 
ring  coverts, 


ijftinfiiin'wiri. 


Uo8K-BKKAsri:i>  lliJosBKAK,    Gitiriicn  Inrforiritiim.     Swuinson 


iWfWWatL—U'Miwtia.  • 


THE  ROSE-BREASTED   GROSBEAK. 


829 


basal  half  of  primaries  and  secondaries,  and  a  large  patch  on  the  ends  of  the  inner 
vrcbs  of  the  outer  three  tail  feathers,  pure-white. 

Female,  without  the  white  of  quills,  tail,  and  rump,  and  without  any  black  or 
red;  above  yellowish-brown  streaked  with  darker;  head  with  a  central  stripe  above, 
and  a  superciliary  on  each  side,  white;  beneath  dirty-white,  streaked  with  brown  on 
the  breast  and  sides;  under  wing  coverts  and  axillaries  satfron-yellow. 

In  the  male,  the  block  feathers  of  the  back  and  sides  of  the  neck  have  a  subter- 
minal  white  bar:  there  are  a  few  black  spots  on  the  sides  of  the  breast  just  below 
the  red. 

The  young  male  of  the  year  is  like  the  female,  except  in  having  the  axillaries, 
under  wing  coverts,  and  a  trace  of  a  patch  on  the  breast,  light  rose-red. 

The  tint  of  carmine  on  the  under  part*  varies  a  good  deal  in  different  specimens. 

Length,  eight  and  fifty  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  four  and  fifteen  one-hun- 
dredths  inches. 

//a4.— Eastern  United  States  to  the  Missouri  plains,  south  to  Guatemala. 

This  beautiful  bird  is  a  not  very  common  summer  inhabi- 
tant of  New  England.  It  seems  to  be  pretty  generally  dis- 
tributed, but  is  in  no  locality  plenty.  It  arrives  about  the 
first  week  in  May  in  the  southern  districts  of  these  States, 
and  a  fortnight  later  in  the  northern  sections.  It  prefers 
the  neighborhood  of  a  swamp,  and  is  most  often  found  in 
low  growths  of  birches  and  alders.  The  nest  is  placed 
in  low  shrubs  and  trees,  often  in  the  barberry-bush  and 
alder,  usually  in  the  deep  woods,  sometimes  in  a  pasture. 
It  is  loosely  constructed  of  twigs  and  roots,  and  lined  with 
grass  and  hair-like  roots,  and  sometimes  a  few  leaves.  The 
eggs  are  usually  four  in  number,  more  often  less  than 
more.  Their  ground-color  is  a  greenish-blue :  this  is  irregu- 
larly covered  with  fine  spots  and  dashes  of  umber-brown, 
thickest  at  the  greater  end  of  the  egg.  Dimensions  vary 
from  1  by  .74  to  .90  by  .70  inch.  One  brood  only  is  reared 
in  the  season  in  New  England.  I  am  aware  that  this 
description  differs  from  those  which  have  been  written  of  the 
nest  and  eggs  of  this  bird ;  ^  but  it  is  coi-rect.  I  have  had  a 
number  of  the  eggs,  and  have  seen  several  of  the  nests : 
these  were  invariably  of  the  above  description,  and  differed 
in  no  essential  particular,  though  from  various  localities. 

1  According  to  Bonaparte,  its  nest  is  concealed  amidst  the  thick  foliage  of  the 
ihady  forest;  externally,  it  is  composed  of  twigs,  and  lined  with  slender  grass;  and 
the  eggs  are  four  or  five,  white,  spotted  with  brown.  —  Nuttaix. 


SSfrntUUHtiiiim 


^^Mli 


880 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


Tho  habits  of  this  bird  are  pretty  well  known.  It  is  a 
very  fine  songster,  and  is  hardly  excelled  by  any  of  our 
other  species ;  its  notes  being  uttered,  not  only  through  tho 
day,  but  also  during  the  night,  as  I  have  hoard  on  several 
occasions.  The  song  is  difficult  of  description :  it  is  a 
sweet  warble,  with  various  emphatic  passages,  and  some- 
times a  plaintive  strain,  exceedingly  tender  and  affecting. 

The  Grosbeak  feeds  upon  the  seeds  of  the  birches  and 
alders,  which  it  obtains  very  expertly.  It  also  is  very  fond 
of  various  berries  and  buds,  and  it  occasionallj  searches 
among  the  fallen  leaves  for  insects  and  worms. 

After  tho  young  birds  have  become  capable  of  providing 
for  themselves,  the  whole  family  sometimes  visit  the  orchards 
and  gardens,  where  they  eat  a,  few  berries  and  currants. 
By  the  middle  of  September,  they  proceed  leisurely  on  their 
southern  migration. 

CYANOSPIZA,  Baird. 

Patierina,  Vieiixot,  Analyse  (1816V    Not  of  Linneeiu;  used  in  Botany. 

Cyanoipiza,  TiAiKV.    (Type  Tanagra  cyanea,  L.) 

Bill  deep  at  the  base,  compressed ;  the  upper  outline  considerably  curved ;  tha 
commissure  rather  concave,  with  an  obtuse,  shallow  lobe  in  the  ntiddla;  gonys 
•lightly  curved ;  feet  moderate;  tarsus  about  equal  to  middle  toe;  the  outer  lateral 
toe  barely  longer  than  the  inner,  its  claw  falling  short  of  the  base  of  the  middle ; 
hind  toe  about  equal  to  the  middle  without  claw;  claws  all  much  curved,  acute; 
wings  long  and  pointed,  reaching  nearly  to  the  middle  of  the  tail ;  the  second  and 
third  quills  longest;  tail  appreciably  shorter  than  the  wings,  rather  narrow,  very 
cearly  even. 

The  species  of  this  genus  are  all  of  very  small  size  and  of  showy  plumage, 
usually  blue,  red,  or  green,  in  well-defined  areas. 

CTAHOSPIZA   CYASZA.— Baird. 

y-  Th«  Indigo-bird.  - 

Tanagra  cyanea,  Linnseus.    Syst.  Nat.,  L  (1766)  816. 

Fringitta  cyanea.    WUs.,  L  (1810)  100;  Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  I.  (1883)  877;  T.  603. 

Descriptiom. 

Male. — Blue,  tinged  with  ultramarine  on  the  head,  throat,  and  middle  of  breast ; 
elsewhere  with  verdigris-green ;  lores  and  anterior  angle  of  chin  velvet-black;  wing 
feathers  brown,  edged  externally  with  dull  bluish-brown. 


^F. 


I 


\ 


\ 


THE   INDIOO-UIRD. 


881 


F*nud«.  —  Brown  above;  irhitiRh,  obscurely  ntreaked  or  blotched  with  brownish- 
yellow  beneath;  iminuturo  males  similar,  variously  blotched  with  blue. 

Length,  about  five  and  seventy-tlve  one-hundrodtha  inches;  wing,  nearly  three 
inches.  , 

Hab. — Eastern  United  States  to  the  Missouri,  south  to  Guatemala. 

This  beautiful  apocios  is  pretty  generally  distributed 
throughout  Now  England  as  a  summer  visitor,  and  is  ratlior 
common  in  thickly  settled  districts,  it  arrives  from  the 
Houth  about  the  10th  of  May,  and  soon  mates  and  selects  its 
home  for  the  ensuing  summer.     Says  Nuttall,  — 

"  Though  naturally  shy,  active,  and  suspicious,  they  still,  at  this 
interesting  period  of  procreation,  resort  chiefly  to  the  precincts  of 
habitations,  around  which  they  are  far  more  common  than  in*  the 
solitary  woods,  seeking  their  borders,  or  the  thickets  by  the  sides  of 
the  road ;  but  their  favorite  resort  is  the  garden,  where,  from  the 
topmost  bough  of  some  tall  tree,  which  commands  the  whole  wide 
landscape,  the  male  regularly  pours  out  his  lively  chant,  and 
continues  it  for  a  considerable  length  of  time.  Nor  is  this  song 
confined  to  the  cool  and  animating  dawn  of  morning;  but  it  is 
renewed  and  still  more  vigorous  during  the  noonday  heat  of  sum- 
mer. This  lively  strain  seems  composed  of  a  repetition  of  short 
notes,  commencing  loud  and  rapid,  and  then,  slowly  falling,  they 
descend  almost  to  a  whisper,  succeeded  by  a  silent  interval  of  about 
half  a  minute,  when  the  song  is  again  continued  as  before.  The 
most  common  of  these  vocal  expressions  sounds  like,  tshe  tshe 
tshe  —  tshe  tshee  tshee  —  tshe  tshe  tshe.  The  middle  syllables  are 
uttered  lispingly  in  a  very  peculiar  manner,  and  the  three  last 
gradually  fall:  sometimes  it  is  varied  and  shortened  into  tshea 
tshea  tshea  tshreh,  the  last  sound  being  sometimes  doubled.  This 
shorter  song  is  usually  uttered  at  the  time  that  the  female  is 
engaged  in  the  cares  of  incubation,  or  as  the  brood  already  appear, 
and  when  too  great  a  display  of  his  music  might  endanger  the 
retiring  security  of  his  family." 

The  Indigo-bird  commences  building  about  the  last  of 
May.  The  nest  is  usually  placed  in  low  br.shes,  often 
bramble  and  brier  biishes,  usually  near  houses  and  gar- 
dens :  it  is  constructed  of  coarse  sedge  grass,  some  withered 


: 


:      1 


JM— 


f 


t      \ 


882 


ORIHTHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


loaves,  and  lined  with  fine  stalks  of  the  same  and  the  slon- 
dor  hair-liico  tops  of  the  bent  grass  (agro»ti»),  with  a  very 
few  cow-hairs,  though  somotimos  they  make  a  substantial 
lining  of  hair.  The  eggs  are  four  or  five  in  number ;  and 
their  color  is  a  nearly  pure  white,  somotimos  with  a  bluish 
tint.  In  a  large  number  in  my  collection  from  L.  E.  Rick- 
Bocker,  of  Pennsylvania,  a  few  have  scattered  blotches  of 
reddish-brown.  Their  size  varies  from  .80  by  .GO  to  .70  by 
.52  inch.  But  one  brood  is  reared  in  the  season  in  New 
England. 

About  the  middle  of  September,  the  whole  family  loaves 
New  England,  and  winters  in  tropical  America. 

PIPILO,   ViKILLOT. 

Pipilo,  VlEiLLOT,  Analyse  (1816)  Agaagiz.  (Typo  Fringilta  erythrophthalma, 
Linn.) 

Bill  rather  «tout;  the  culmen  gently  curved,  the  Ronys  nearly  straight;  the  com- 
missure gently  concave  with  a  decided  notch  near  the  end ;  the  lower  jaw  not  so 
deep  as  the  upper,  not  as  wide  as  the  gonys  is  long,  but  wider  than  the  base  of  the 
upper  mandible!  feet  large,  the  tarsus  as  long  or  a  little  longer  than  the  middle 
toe;  the  outer  lateral  toe  a  little  the  longer,  and  reaching  a  little  beyond  the  base 
of  the  middle  claw;  the  hind  claw  about  equal  to  its  too;  the  two  together  about 
equal  to  the  outer  toe;  claws  all  stout,  compressed,  and  moderately  curved;  wings 
reaching  about  to  the  end  of  the  upper  tail  coverts;  short  and  rounded,  though  the 
primaries  are  considerably  longer  than  the  nearly  equal  secondaries  and  tcrtials; 
the  outer  four  quills  are  graduated ;  the  first  considerably  shorter  than  the  second, 
and  about  as  long  as  the  secondaries;  tail  considerably  longer  than  the  wings; 
moderatelr  oraduated  externally;  the  feathers  rather  broa^  most  rounded  off  on 
the  inner  webs  at  the  end. 

The  colors  vary;  the  upper  parts  are  generally  uniform  black  or  brown;  the 
under  white  or  brown;  no  central  streaks  on  the  feathers.  The  hood  sometime* 
differently  colored. 

The  essential  characters  of  the  genus  are  in  the  curved  culmen  and  commissure ; 
the  strong  feit;  the  outer  toe  rather  longer  than  the  inner;  the  wings  rounded,  but 
the  primaries  decidedly  longer  than  the  others;  the  outer  four  quills  considerably 
graduated,  but  the  first  usually  not  shorter  than  the  socondaries.  The  graduated 
tail  longer  than  the  wings. 


'; 


PIPILO   ERTTHEOPHTHALMTJS.—  meillot. 

>'-Tbe  Groiud  Bobin;  Tovhee;  Chewink.  - 

Fringilh  erytiniphthalma,  Linnieua.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1T66)  318 ;  Aud.  Om.  Biog., 
I.  (1832)  161 ;  V.  611. 


^!Pi  tAis?'^T(:;a.T:;^Fr^^s=i.»r'^:B3!55S— ?■ 


J^j^ftSia4i^»j.»ijj!~'.lW*^'■i''*>■"»'■" 


0 


THE  OROUND  ROBIN. 


888 


EiiibtrUa  tnjlhrophthnlma,  Gmolin.  Syst.  Nat,  I.  (1768;  874;  Wilt.  Am.  Om., 
VI.  (1612)80. 

PipUto  eiythrophthalmut,  Vieillot.    Qal.  Oia.,  I.  (1824)  100. 

DEBcnimoN. 

Upper  partd  generally,  head  and  neck  all  round,  and  npper  part  of  the  brcant, 
glosRy  black,  abruptly  defined  against  the  pure  white  which  extends  t*  the  anus, 
but  is  bounded  on  the  Hides  and  under  the  wings  by  light-chestnut ;  under  coverts 
similar  to  sides,  but  paler;  edges  of  outer  six  primaries  with  white  at  the  base  and 
on  the  middle  of  the  outer  web;  inner  two  tcrtiurics  also  edged  externally  with 
white;  tail  feathers  block;  outer  web  of  the  flrst,  with  the  ends  of  the  first  to  the 
third  white,  decreasing  from  the  exterior  one.  Female  with  the  black  rcplaccil  by 
brown ;  iris  red. 

Length,  eight  and  seventy-five  one-hundredths  Inches;  wing,  throe  and  seventy- 
five  one-huudredths;  tail,  four  and  ten  one-hundredths  inches. 

This  beautiful  and  well-known  species,  although  common 
in  Massachusetts  and  the  other  southern  New-England 
States,  is  rare  in  the  three  northern.  It  begins  to  grow 
scarce  in  the  northern  districts  of  Massachusetts ;  and,  before 
we  have  passed  fifty  miles  beyond  its  northern  limits,  it  is 
very  rarely  seen.  It  makes  its  appearance  about  the  20th 
of  April,  the  males  preceding  the  females  by  a  week  or  ten 
days.  As  soon  aa  the  females  arrive,  the  pairing  season 
commences.  The  male,  perched  on  a  low  limb  of  a  tree  or 
high  bush,  chants  his  pleasing  song,  sometimes  for  half  an 
hour  at  a  time:  this  song  resembles  the  syllables,  fow-hSe 
'che  'ie  'c?e  'rfe  'de,  uttered  at  first  slowly  and  plaintively,  and 
quickly  increased  in  volume  and  rapidity  of  utterance.  He 
has  also  a  sort  of  quavering  warble  difficult  of  description. 
If  he  is  approached,  he  watches  the  intruder,  and,  after 
ascertaining  his  business,  utters  his  note  tow-hie,  and  pro- 
ceeds his  search  among  the  fallen  leaves  for  his  favorite  food 
of  worms,  insects,  and  seeds,  which  he  is  almost  continually 
scratching  for  among  the  dead  vegetation. 

About  the  second  week  in  May,  the  birds  commence  build- 
ing. The  locality  usually  chosen  is  in  low,  thick  woods, 
or  in  thickets  of  briers  and  bushes  near  streams  of  water, 
in  which  places  this  species  is  most  often  found.  The  nest 
is  placed  on  the  ground,  usually  beneath  a  bunch  of  grass, 


i 


Mi#^9inwM 


i 


884 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOQY. 


or  in  a  pile  of  old  brugh  and  fagots :  it  is  constructed  of 
fine  twigH,  loavoB,  und  grassos,  and  is  lined  with  fine  leaves 
of  grasHOH,  and  soinetinios  a  few  hair-liko  roots. 

The  eggs  are  usually  four  in  number.  Thoir  ground  color 
varies  from  grayish  to  reddish-wiiito:  this  is  covered,  over 
the  entire  surface,  with  fine  dots  and  jwints  of  reddish- 
brown:  in  some  specimenB  tiioso  dots  run  into  each  other, 
and  from  small  blotouos.  The  iverago  dimensions  of  a 
groat  number  of  spuj.raens  in  my  collection  is  about  .94  by 
•76  inch.  Whon  placed  n  a  tray  beside  an  equal  number 
of  the  eggs  of  iue  Brown  Thrush,  the  eggs  of  this  species 
appear  muca  pulor,  and  with  a  more  roseate  tint;  otherwise, 
except  with  regard  to  size,  the  two  species  resemble  each 
other  much. 

In  New  England,  but  one  brood  is  usually  roared  in  the 
season.  I  have  found  nests  with  young  in  June  and 
August,  but  generally  the  first  brood  leaves  the  nest  too  lata 
for  another  to  be  brought  out  before  the  early  frosts. 

About  the  middle  of  October,  the  old  birds  and  their 
young,  in  small  detached  flocks,  leave  Now  England  on 
their  southern  migration. 


i 


r 


'C 


;i  ,11  it}iiiim<0M00&m!i0iHiiiMimmtM* 


'**?>'SSS(Bir*' 


-  :i 


I 


Btcd  of 
I  leaves 

d  color 
d,  over 
oddiHh- 

othor, 
8  of  a 

.94  by 
lumber 
Bpocios 
orwise, 
e  each 

in  the 
le  and 
too  lato 

i  their 
ind  on 


). 


^) 


\ 


Tn«  BonoLiNK.  886 


Family  TCTERIDJE. 

Prim.rle,  nln.j  UrsI  3cu(ell«(«  .nterinrlyi  pI»Jed  behind,  bill  lon(r,  Kencrally 
i«iual  to  11.6  lu.ad  or  lonRcr,  Mraight  or  K-iMly  curvd,  conical,  without  any  notch, 
the  comn.iMur«  bonding  .l,.wnwH„l,  at  an  oblu^o  anRle  at  tb«  baw;  gony.  m-neraily 
nioro  than  half  tho  cuhncn ;  ba„,l  j..,„t  of  the  middle  |.,o  free  on  th«  inner  .id^ 
united  half-way  on  tho  outer)  Uil  rather  long,  rounded;  Icgi  •tout 

Sub-Family  Aoelakin*.  —  The  Stnrlinff$. 

Bill  .tout  conlcdl,  and  acutely  pointed,  not  lonRer  than  tho  he^;  the  outlinei 
nearly  MraiKht,  tho  tip  not  decurv^d;  1,.,,  adapted  for  walking,  longer  than  th« 
head)  claw,  not  much  curved;  tail  moderate,  shorter  than  Uio  wingi;  nearly  even 

DOLIC  II  >NVX,  SwAwgoK. 
Dolichonyc,  Swainso*,  Zool.  Jour.,  III.  (1827)  861.     (Typo  EmbtrUa  oryt.V<v 

Bill  .hort,  stout,  conical.  little  more  than  half  the  head)  the  comml„„re  .lightly 
ilnuatcd;  tho  culmcn  nearly  straight ;  mi.ldie  toe  considerably  longer  than  tho  tar- 
.us  (which  is  about  a.  long  as  the  head) ;  the  inner  lateral  toe  longest,  but  not  reach- 
ing  the  base  of  the  middle  claw;  wings  long,  first  quill  longest;  tail  '.athers 
acununately  pomted  at  the  tip,  with  the  shafU  .tilTened  and  rigid,  a.  in  the  Wood- 
peckers. 

The  peculiar  characteristic  of  this  species  is  found  in  the  rigid  scnnsorial  tail  and 
the  verj-  long  middle  toe,  by  mean,  of  which  it  is  enabled  to  gra«p  tho  vertical  .tern. 

It,"'.  '"'"'"  P'"""'    '^''°  '°''"  °^  ">«  J""*^"  •?«<-•'«  »  black,  varied 

with  whiUih  patcbe.  on  the  upper  parts. 

DOHOHOHTX   OBTZIVOEirS.  -  SirniVwon. 

/  The  Bobolink;  Beed-bird;  Sice-bird. - 

(wi^Ms'^  "^■•^^o.  Llnn«u..    Sy.t.  Nat,  I.  (1766)  811.    Wlhi.  Am.  On..,  n. 

DMchonyx  orytivora,  Swainson.    Zool.  Jour.,  III.  (1837)  361. 
/c<«nM  <ii,n/>enni.,  Bonaparte.    Obs.  Wils.  (1824),  No.  87.    Aud.  Om.  Bioir    I 
(1881)  283;  V.  (1880)  486.    Nutt.  Man.,  I.  (1832)  188.  *«<>•  Um.  Biog.,  I. 

DEscniPTiou. 
General  color  of  male  in  spring  black;  the  nape  brownish-cream  color;  a  patch 
on  the  s.de  o(^  the  breast,  the  scapulars  and  rump  white,  shading  into  light  ash  on 
the  upper  fad  cover,  and  the  back  below  the  interscapular  region;  the  outer  prima- 
ries sharply  margined  with  yellowish-white,  the  tertials  less  abruptiv;  the  tail 
feather,  margined  at  the  Up,  with  pale  brownish-ash.  In  autumn  similar  to  thi 
lenuue* 


^ppB-"i..<«il.i1liri 


ii>  i,^,w  Miwiiiyy<ip» 


■msu 


S36 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


it 

y 


Female,  yellowish  beneath ;  two  stripes  on  the  top  of  the  head,  and  the  upper 
parts  throughout,  except  the  back  of  the  neck  and  rump,  and  including  all  the  wing 
feathers  generally,  dark-brown,  all  edged  with  brownish-yellow,  which  becomes 
whiter  nearer  the  tips  of  the  quills;  the  sides  sparsely  streaked  with  dark-brown, 
and  a  similar  stripe  behind  the  eye;  there  is  a  superciliary  and  a  median  band  of 
yellow  on  the  head. 

Length  of  male,  seven  and  seventy  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  three  and 
eighty-three  one-hundredths;  tail,  three  and  fifteen  one-hundredths  inches. 

Ilab.  —  Eastern  United  States  to  the  high  central  plains.  Seen  fifty  miles  east 
of  Laramie. 

THIS  well-known  merry  songster  of  the  North,  Reed 
Bird  or  Ortolan  of  the  Middle  States,  and  Rice  Bird 
of  the  South,  is  abundantly  distributed  throughout  most 
sections  of  the  eastern  half  of  the  continent,  ranging  from 
the  latitude  of  Quebec,  in  Lower  Canada  (which  is  its  most 
northern  breeding  point),  through  New  England  and  its 
latitude  in  summer,  to  Mexico,  Central  America,  West 
Indies,  and  the  northern  portiona  of  the  Southern  Conti- 
neni,  where  it  passes  the  winter. 

Early  in  spring  it  makes  its  appearance  in  the  Southern 
United  States,  usually  in  small  detached  parties  of  from 
eight  to  a  dozen  individuals,  and  proceeds  leisurely  to  its 
summer  home  in  the  North,  generally  at  about  the  following 
dat'is:  being  abundant  in  Georgia  about  April  20;  in  Dis- 
trict of  Columbia,  "  distributed  about  orchards  and  meadows 
in  flocks,  from  May  1st  to  15th  ; "  arrives  on  Long  Island, 
N.  Y.,  "  about  the  20th  of  May  ; "  and  is  abundant  in  the 
latitude  of  Middle  New  England  by  the  latter  part  of  that 
month. 

The  males  usually  arrive  in  vhe  North  several  days  before 
the  females,  during  which  interim  they  frequent  meadows 
and  fields  in  cultivated  districts,  preferring  them  to  thinly 
settled  localities,  and  soon  become  very  tame  and  familiar, 
considering  the  severity  with  which  they  were  pursued  by 
the  inhabitants  of  all  the  countries  they  traversed  in  their 
migration,  by  whom  they  are  regarded  only  as  a  pest  and  a 
nuisance.  The  Bobolink  knows  when  he  has  arrived  among 
his  friends ;  and  the  same  bird  which  would  have  risen  be- 


\ 


'^ifl^S^tdi£{'?i'ffi^^'^ 


Tsm 


-vmtt^ 


\ 


™  ^    iiiI'iIIWMp"* 


i. 


m  ■ 

At; 


Bobolink,  Ucefl-bini,  DoiichoHyr  on/zivorns.     Swainsoii. 


■liiiim null  ■■■ iJi 


l_ 


antiiliiiii  iirfMUn'^'-^Trrn ' 


THE   BOBOLINK. 


837 


yond  gunshot  from  you  in  the  South  will  perch  on  your 
garden  fence  in  New  England  as  familiarly  as  if  he  were 
*'  to  the  manor  born,"  and  regale  you  with  a  flood  of  his 
choicest  melodies. 

Almost  everybody  in  the  North  knows  the  song  of  this 
bird,  and  has  laughed,  in  spite  of  him  or  herself,  at  the  gro- 
tesque singer,  as,  perched  on  a  twig  in  the  cherry-tree  by 
the  house,  or  in  the  elm  by  the  roadside,  or  alder  by  the 
brook,  he  nodded  his  head,  quivered  his  wings,  opened  his 
mouth,  and  rattled  out  the  most  curious,  incomprehensible, 
jingling,  roundabout,  careless,  joyous,  laughable  medley 
that  any  bird  throat  ever  uttered. 

As  soon  as  the  females  arrive,  they  become  the  especial 
objects  of  attention  with  their  male  neighbors ;  and  the  little 
contentions,  both  in  music,  and  something  more  severe,  we 
must  confessj  for  the  possession  of  a  favored  one,  between 
the  contesting  suitors,  are  almost  innumerable. 

When  the  birds  are  mated,  usually  early  in  June,  they 
commence  the  structure  in  which  their  family  is  to  be 
reared.  Selecting  a  thick  tussock  of  grass  in  a  field  or 
meadow,  through  which,  or  near  which,  a  brook  prattles  of 
cool  and  delicious  draughts,  and  sweet  and  refreshing  baths, 
beneath  the  bending  and  concealing  leaves,  they  entwine 
fine  grasses  and  rootlets  into  a  loose  and  not  deeply 
hollowed  nest,  which  they  line  with  softer  pieces  of  the 
same  material. 

The  position  is  so  well  chosen  that,  nine  times  out  of  ten, 
if  you  walk  the  meadow  over  again  and  again,  knowing  it 
to  be  there,  you  will  not  discover  the  nest ;  the  male  bird 
flies  over  your  head,  chiding  and  complaining  at  your  pres- 
ence, and  his  mate  skurrying  off"  through  the  thick  grass, 
rises  away  from  the  nest,  that  you  may  not  discover  its 
locality. 

The  eggs,  four  or  five  in  number,  vary  in  color  from  a 
light  ashy-blue,  with  spots  of  blackish-brown,  to  a  pale- 


838 


OBNITHOLOGT  AND   OOLOGY. 


i       f 


;  i 


brownish  clay,  with  spots  and  blotches  of  umber  of  different 
shades ;  their  form  is  usually  a  perfect  ovate,  and  they  vary 
in  dimensions  from  .90  of  an  inch  in  length  by  .65  of  an  inch 
in  breadth,  to  .86  of  an  inch  in  length  by  .62  of  an  inch  in 
breadth. 

As  soon  as  the  young  birds  are  hatched,  the  father,  hith- 
erto full  of  song  and  merriment,  becomes  more   quiet, 
spending  a  great  part  of  his  time  in  family  cares.     The 
young  birds  are  fed  on  grasshoppers,  crickets,  and  various 
other  insects ;  and  this  food  is  the  chief  sustenance  of  the 
parents  as  well,  at  this  period,  for  the  seeds  of  the  wild 
grasses  are  not  yet  ripened,  and  incursions  in  the  graih- 
fields  are  tabooed  while  the  younfe  are  in  the  nest.    Is  there 
not  a  little  of  judicious  reasoning  in  this?  look  at  it:  if  the 
bird  cultivates  the  good  will  of  the  farmer,  by  destroying 
his  insect  enemies,  and  letting  his  crops  grow  in  peace,  he 
is  permitted  to  rear  his  family  in  security,  and  is  even 
rather  liked,  his  song  being  a  most  pleasant  companionship 
•  to  the  farmer  who  delves  and  plods  in  the  fields  around  him. 
When  the  young  birds  leave  the  nest,  the  pai'ents  provide 
for  them  for  a  few  days,  and  then  turn  them  away  to  shift 
for  themselves :  this  is  in  about  the  middle  of  July.    The 
old  birds  then  pass  a  comparatively  idle  season,  —  roaming 
through  the  country,  recuperating  from  the  cares  of  parent- 
age, and  exchanging  their  nuptial  dress  for  one  more  in 
accordance  with  their  matured,  respectable,  old  folks'  con- 
dition ;  the  male  assumes  the  sober,  and  lately  more  sober, 
attire  of  his  mate,  and  dropping  his  song,  contents  himself 
with  repeating  her  simple  "  chink." 

So  much  do  the  old  and  young  birds  resemble  each  other 
that,  in  the  flocks  of  from  fifty  to  one  hundred  individuals, 
in  which  they  gather  in  early  fall,  it  is  almost  impossible  by 
the  plumage  to  distinguish  either. 

Early  in  September  the  Bobolinks  begin  to  move  south- 
ward, and  although  they  obtain  a  great  portion  of  their 


i 


\ 


THE   COW   BLACKBIRD. 


889 


sustenance  from  fields  and  meadows,  gleaning  seeds  of 
grasses  and  weeds,  and  capturing  orthopterous  and  other 
insects,  they  malio  sad  havoc  in  the  fields  of  late  grain  and 
rice ;  and  tlie  firing  of  guns  during  their  passage  through 
the  Middle  and  Southern  States,  not  only  by  farmers'  and 
planters'  boys,  but  by  sportsmen  and  pot-hunters,  who 
shoot  them  for  the  table  and  market,  is  often  almost  inces- 
sant. 

MOLOTIIRUS,  SwAiKSOK. 

ifolothrua,  Swainson,  F.  Bor.  Am.,  II.  ( 1831 )  277.  (Type  FringiUa  pecorU,  Gm.) 
Bill  short,  stout,  about  two-thirds  the  length  of  head;  the  commissure  straight; 
culmcn  and  gonys  slightly  curved,  convex,  the  former  broad,  rounded,  convex,  and 
running  back  on  the  head  in  a  point;  lateral  toes  nearly  equal,  re.iching  the  base  of 
the  middle  one,  which  is  shorter  than  the  tarsus;  claws  rather  small;  tail  nearly 
evea;  wings  long,  pointed,  the  first  quill  longest.    ■ 

HOLOTHBUS  PECOSIS.  — /Stoatnton. 

yiha  Cow  Blackbird;  Cowbird." 

FringiOapecorU,  Gmelin.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1788)  910. 
Eviberiza  pecorU,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  II.  (1810)  145. 

Icttrtu'pecorit,  Bonaparte.  Obs.  Wils.  (1824),  No.  88.  And.  Om.  Blog.,  I.  (1881) 
498;  V.  (1889)  233,  400. 

Icterut  (tniberisoida)  peeom,  NutUll.    Man.,  I.  (1882)  178 ;  2d  ed.,  190. 
Fringilla  ambiywx,  Nuttall.    Man.  I.  (     '2)  484.    (Young.) 

DKscmpTiox. 

Second  quill  longest;  firat  scarcely  shorter;  tail  nearly  even,  or  very  slightly 
rounded;  male  with  the  head,  neck,  and  anterior  half  of  the  breast,  light  chocolate- 
brown,  rather  lighter  above ;  rest  of  body  lustrous-black,  with  a  violet-purple  gloss, 
next  to  the  brown,  of  steel-blue  on  the  back,  and  of  green  elsewhere.  Female,  light 
olivaceous-brown  all  over,  lighter  on  the  head  and  beneath ;  bill  and  feet  black. 

The  young  bird  of  the  year  is  brown  above,  brownish- white  beneath;  the  throat 
immaculate;  a  maxillary  stripe  and  obscure  streaks  thickly  crowded  across  the 
whole  breast  and  sides;  there  is  a  faint  indication  of  «  pale  superciliary  stripe; 
the  feathers  of  the  upper  parts  are  all  margined  with  paler;  there  are  also  indications 
of  the  light  bands  on  the  wings;  these  markings  are  all  obscure,  but  perfectly  appre- 
ciable, and  their  existence  in  adult  birds  may  be  considered  as  embryonic,  and  show- 
ing an  inferiority  in  degree  to  the  species  with  the  under  parts  perfectly  plain. 

Length,  eight  inches;  >^ing,four  and  forty-two  one-hundredths  inches;  tail,  three 
and  forty  one-hundredths  inches. 

Hab. — United  States  from  the  Atlantic  to  Califonua;  not  found  immediately  on 
the  coast  of  the  Pacific. 


.     J 


■«***^w  ^ 


840 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


Tills  common  and  well-known  bird  is  abundantly  dis- 
tributed througbout  Now  England  as  a  summer  visi- 
tor. It  makes  its  first  appearance  about  tbo  middle  of 
March  in  Massachusetts,  and,  instead  of  mating  and  sep- 
arating into  pairs,  remains  in  small  flocks  through  tbo 

summer. 

At  all  times,  the  males  and  females  congregate  together 
and  visit  the  fields  and  pastures,  (where  they  destroy  num- 
bers of  insects,  principally  Orthoptera),  and  are  usually  in 
greatest  numbers  where  droves  of  cattle  are  assembled. 
The  male,  in  spring  and  early  summer,  has  a  guttural  song, 
which  he  utters  from  a  tall  tree,  sometimes  an  hour  at  a 
time.  This  song  resembles  the  syllables  'cluk  'seee.  When 
he  emits  this  note,  ho  bristles  out  the  feathers  of  his  neck, 
and  spreads  his  tail,  and  seems  to  swell  out  his  body  with 
the  effort  to  produce  an  agreeable  tone. 

When  the  desire  for  laying  is  awakened  in  the  female, 
instead  of  building  a  nest  of  her  own,  she  seeks  the  tene- 
ment of  some  other  bird,  usually  a  smaller  species  than 
herself;  and,  watching  an  opportunity  when  the  other  bird 
has  left  it,  she  drops  an  egg  in  it,  and  leaves  it  to  the  tender 
mercies  of  the  owner  of  the  nest.  The  birds  most  often 
chosen  for  this  purpose  are  the  Vireos,  Warblers,  and  Spar 
rows :  sometimes  the  Small  Thrushes  are  thus  imposed  upon, 
and  rarely  the  Wrens. 

Some  birds  build  over  the  stranger  egg  a  new  nest.  I 
have  in  my  collection  a  nest  of  the  Yellow  Warbler  thus 
doubled,  and  another  of  the  Goldfinch.  Sometimes  the 
nest  is  abandoned,  particularly  if  the  owner  lias  no  eggs  of 
her  own ;  but  usually  the  intruding  egg  is  hatched,  and  the 
yoang  bird  attended  with  all  the  care  given  to  the  legitimate 
young.  The  eggs  of  this  species  are  of  a  grayish-white, 
with  fine  spots  of  brown  over  the  entire  surface.  Their 
dimensions  vary  from  .96  by  .70  to  .80  by  .62  inch:  some 
specimens  are  marked  with  very  minute  reddish  dots,  which 
we  scattered  over  the  entire  surface;   others  have  bold 


■    I 

III 


tj     -■.--;i,,-.^.i.-j,a^. 


mtly  dis- 
ner  visi- 
liddlo  of 
and  seph 
ough  tho 

>  together 
;roy  num- 
isually  in 
ssemblcd. 
iiral  song, 
liour  at  a 
f.  When 
his  neck, 
body  with 

10  female, 
}  the  tene- 
icies  tlian 
other  bird 
the  tender 
nost  often 
and  Spar 
}sed  upon, 

y^  nest.  I 
rbler  thus 
times  the 
10  eggs  of 
d,  and  the 
legitimate 
jrish-white, 
5e.  Their 
iich:  some 
lots,  which 
have  bold 


Uei>-win(jku  Blackuibd,  Ayelaius  phoeniceus.     Vitillot. 


Ipflii.  irmv  mH'm-L'-Msai-  ■ ' 


THE   SWAMP   BLACKBIRD. 


841 


dashes  and  confluent  blotches  of  brown,  thickest  at  the 
greater  end.* 

liy  the  loflt  week  in  October,  the  young  and  old  birds 
assemble  in  large  flocks,  and  leave  for  the  South. 

AQELAirs,  ViKiLi-or. 

AgtUiiui,  ViBiux)T,  "  Analyne,  1816."  (Tj-p*  OrMiu  Phaniceut,  L.) 
Firat  quill  (liorter  than  aeconil;  claws  ihort;  the  outer  lateral  ncarcoly  rcirhinf; 
the  baae  of  the  middle;  culiiien  deproMed  at  baae,  purtini;  the  fVontal  feathers; 
length  equal  to  that  of  the  head,  shorter  tlian  tarauii;  both  mandibleii  of  equal  thick- 
ncM  and  acute  at  tip,  the  edgc»  much  curved,  the  cuhncn,  gonys,  and  corimiuuri 
nearly  straight  or  ilightly  linuated;  the  length  of  bill  about  twice  ita  height;  tail 
moderately  rounded,  or  very  ulightly  graduated;  wings  pointed,  reaching  to  end  of 
lower  tail  coverta;  colonj  black,  with  red  ahoulden  in  North-American  apecius. 

The  nottril*  aro  Mimll,  ublung,  overhung  by  a  membranous  acalo;  the  bill  ia 
higher  than  broad  at  tlio  baae;  there  is  no  diviaion  between  tJie  anterior  tartal 
icutells  and  the  single  plate  on  the  outside  of  the  tarsua. 

AOELAinS  PRCENICEUS.- V(6i7&>(. 
X  Tba  Swamp  Blaokblrd ;  Bed-win;  BUekbird.  - 

Oriolut  Phaeniceut,  Linnicua.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1766)  161. 
Agetaiui  Phaniceut,  Vieillot    Anal.  (1816). 

Icterut  Phaniceut,  Audubon.    Om.  Bicg.,  I.  (1831)  348;  V.  (1889)  48T. 
Icterut  {Xanlhomut  Phmnictut),  Bonaparte.    Syn.  (1828),  63.     Nutt.  Han.,  L 
(1882)  167. 

Stumut  pradaloriut,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  IV.  (1811)  80. 

DESCUUTfON. 

Tail  much  rounded;  the  lateral  feathnm  almut  half  an  inch  shorter;  fourth  quill 
longest;  first  about  as  long  as  the  flftli ;  hill  large,  itout;  half  as  high,  or  more  than 
half  as  high  as  long. 

Mate.  —  General  color  uniform  lustroiu  velvet-black,  with  a  greenish  reflection; 
shoulders  and  lesser  wing  coverts  of  a  bright -crimson  or  vermilion-red;  middle 
coverts  brownish-yellow,  and  usually  paler  intarda  the  tips. 

1  By  an  amusing  yet  incomprehensible  mistake  of  the  printer,  the  subjoined 
description  of  eggs,  &c.,  was  annexed  to  this  species,  in  an  article  published  ii  the 
"  Report  of  the  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture  for  1864,"  p.  426.  It  belongs  to 
the  Chewink  or  Ground  Kobin,  page  425  of  that  volume:  "Their  form  varies  firom 
elongated  oral  to  nearly  spherical.  The  dimensions  of  a  nest  complement  of  four 
eggs,  collected  in  Qaincy,  Mass.,  are  1  by  .74  inch,  .96  by  .72  inch,  .90  by  .70  inch, 
90  by  .68  inch:  other  rpecimen»  do  not  vary  materially  from  these  measurements. 
3ut  one  brood  ia  usually-  reared  in  the  season.  This  bird,  although  subsisting  prin- 
cipally on  various  seeds  and  small  fruits,  destroys  great  numbers  of  insects,  particu- 
larly in  the  breeding  sea»on:  in  fact,  its  young  are  fed  entirely  on  insecta  and  their 
lawr«,  and  the  weU-kao\rn  wire-worma.*' 


i 


IJMHJIIIIiWmU  I 


842 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND   OOLOGY. 


! 


Jf«rw7e.— Brown  above,  the  feuthere  edged  or  gtreatsd -jritli  rufons-brown  and 
yellowish;  beneath  white,  streaked  with  brown;  forepart  of  throat,  superciliary,  and 
median  stripe  strongly  tinged  with  brownish-yellow. 

The  female  differs  greatly  in  appearance;  the  prevailing  color  above  is  brownish- 
black,  all  the  feathers  margined  with  reddish-brown;  some  of  those  on  the  back 
with  brownish-yellow,  which,  on  the  median  and  greater  wing  coverts,  forms  two 
bands;  the  under  parts  are  dull-whitish,  each  feather  broadly  streaked  centrally  with 
dark-brown;  the  chin  and  throat  yellowish,  and  but  little  streaked;  there  is  a  dis- 
tinct whitish  superciliary  streak  alongside  the  head,  tinged  anteriorly  with  browtish- 
yellow,  and  another  less  distinct  in  the  median  line  of  the  crown;  there  is  usually 
BO  indication  of  any  red  on  the  wing;  the  immature  males  exhibit  every  possible 
condition  of  coloration  between  that  of  the  old  male  and  of  the  female. 

Length  of  male,  nine  and  fifty  one-hundredtha  inches;  wing,  five  inches;  tail, 
four  and  fifteen  one-hundredths  inches. 

This  common  and  well-known  species  makes  its  appear- 
ance about  the  middle  of  March.    It  arrives  in  small  flocks, 
the  males  preceding  the  females  a  week  or  ten  days.    On 
its  arrival,  it  frequents  tlie  meadows  and  swamps,  where, 
from  early  dawn  to  twilight,  its  song  of  quonk  a  rie  is 
heard,  sometimes  uttered  by  a  half-dozen  birds  at  a  time. 
As  soon  as  the  females  arrive,  the  birds  mate,  and  disperse 
through  these  States,  but  not  so  abundantly  in  the  northern 
as  in  the  southern  districts.    It  commences  building  about 
the  first  week  in  May.    The  nest  is  usually  placed  in  a 
tussock  of  grass  or  low  bush  in  a  meadow  and  swamp :  it 
is  constructed  of  coarse  grasses,  which  are  woven  and 
intwJned  into  a  strong  fabric,  into  which  are  incorporated 
the  grass  to  which  it  is  suspended,  or  the  twigs  of  the  bush 
in  which  it  is  built.    It  is  deeply  hollowed,  and  lined  with 
fine  grasses,  and  sometimes  a  few  hair-like  roots.    The  eggs 
are  four  or  five  in  number ;  and  they  vary,  in  color,  two  or 
three  shades  of  light-blue :  they  are  marked  with  spots  and 
streaks  of  vandyke-brown  and  black,  generally  distributed 
thickest  at  the  greater  end.    Their  dimensions  vary  from 
1.05  by  .75  inch  to  .90  by  .66  inch.    Average  size  about 
.97  by  .70  inch. 

Sometimes  several  pairs  breed  in  the  same  swamp  or 
meadow:    they  always  fly  to  meet  an  intruder  in  their 

haunts,  and  hover  over  him,  uttering  their  cries  of  anger 


1 

r 


■P! 


>i 


-"W^niMiiww^wrt'^** -■*■;'> 


THE  MEADO..-LABK. 


343 


and  complaint;  and,  as  the  alarm  passes  along  the  country, 
sometimes  as  many  as  a  dozen  or  twenty  birds  are  hovering 
over  him,  scolding  vociferously. 

Two  broods  are  usually  reared  in  the  season :  as  soon  as 
the  last  brood  leaves  the  nest,  the  whole  family  joins  with 
its  neighbors  into  a  flock  of  sometimes  a  hundred  or  hun- 
dred and  fifty  or  more.  They  then  visit  the  grain-fields,  and 
inflict  considerable  damage  by  eating  and  destroying  the 
grain.  In  many  localities,  they  are  so  numerous  at  this 
season,  that  they  are  a  serious  nuisance  ;  and  the  farmers 
destroy  great  numbers  of  them  with  poison  and  with  the 

gun. 

Localities  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  seaboard  are  thus 
afflicted  more  than  others;  and  I  have  seen  flocks  of  these 
birds  in  Plymouth  County,  Mass.,  containing  as  many  as  a 
thousand  individuals. 

About  the  last  of  October,  they  depart  on  their  southern 

migration. 

STURNELLA,  Viwllot 

StvmeUa,  Vreii.iiOT,  Anal^'se  (1816).  (Type  Alauda  magna,  L.) 
Pody  thick,  stout;  legs  largi,  toes  reaching  heyond  the  Uil;  tail  ahort,  even, 
vith  narrow  acuminate  feathers;  bill  slender,  elongated;  length  about  three  timw 
the  height;  commissure  straight  from  the  basal  angle;  culmen  flattened  basally, 
extending  backwards,  and  parting  the  frontal  feathers;  longer  than  the  head,  but 
shorter  than  tarsus;  nostrils  linear,  covered  by  an  incurabfnt  membranous  scale; 
inner  lateral  toe  longer  than  th-  outer,  but  not  reaching  to  basal  joint  of  middle; 
hind  toe  a  little  shorter  than  the  middle,  which  is  equal  to  the  tarsus;  hind  claw 
nearly  twice  as  long  as  the  middle;  feathers  of  head  stiffened  and  bristly;  the 
shafts  of  those  above  extended  into  a  black  seta;  tertiaries  nearly  equal  to  the 
primaries;  feathers  above  all  transversely  banded;  beneath  yellow,  with  a  black 
pectoral  crescent. 

STUBKELLA   HAGNA.  — Stoatruon. 
/.The  Meadow-lapk;  Old  Pleld-lark.- 

AUruda  magna,  Linneus.    Sj-st  Nat,  I.  (1T68)  167, 10th  ed.  (based  on  Alauito 
wigna,  Catesby,  tab.  83).^   WiU.  Am.  Om.,  III.  (1811)  20. 
StumtUa  magna,  Swainson.    Phil.  Mag.,  I.  (1827)  486. 
Stnmm  Ludwdamu,  Audubon.    Om.  Biog.,  II.  (1884)  216;  V.  (1889)  481 
StumMi  Ludoviciana,  KutUU.    Man.,  I.  (1832)  147. 


♦       , 


mmwriiin - 


844 


ORNITHOLOGY   AJJD  OOLOGY. 


yi 


DascBimoN. 

The  feathers  above  dark-brown,  margined  with  brownish-white,  and  with  a  ter- 
minal  blotch  of  pale  reddish-brown;  exposed  portions  of  wings  and  tail  with  trans- 
verse dark-brown  bars,  which  on  the  middle  tail  feathers  are  confluent  along  the 
■haft;  beneath  yellow,  with  a  black  pectoral  crescent,  the  yellow  not  extending  on 
the  side  of  the  maxilla;  sides,  crissum,  and  tibia,  pale  reddish-brown,  streaked  with 
blackish;  a  light  median  and  superciliary  stripe,  the  latter  yellow  anterior  to  the 
eye;  a  black  line  behind. 

Length,  ten  and  sixty  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  five;  tail,  three  and  seventy 
one-hundredths  inches;  bill  above,  one  and  thirty-five  one-hundredths  inches. 

Tliis  beautiful  and  well-known  bird  is  a  common  summer 
inhabitant  of  tlie  three  southern  New-England  States,  but  is 
more  rare  in  the  others.   If  a  mild  winter,  it  remains  through 


the  year ;  but  generally  leaves  for  the  South  late  in  the 
fall,  and  returns  about  the  "second  or  third  week  in 
March."  It  commences  building  about  the  second  week 
in  May,  sometimes  earlier :  the  locality  is  generally  in  a 
meadow  or  low  field.  The  nest  is  usually  built  in  a  tussock 
of  grass :  it  "  is  pretty  compact,  made  of  dry,  wiry  grass, 
to  which  a  hidden  and  almost  winding  path  is  made,  and 
generally  so  well  concealed  that  the  nest  is  only  to  be  found 
when  the  bird  is  flushed."  —  Nottall. 

A  number  of  nests  that  I  have  examined  agree  with  this 
description:  all  were  beneath  bunches  of  grass ;  and,  though 


!^ 


■>.''   1»-- 


K- 


THE  MBADOW-LABK. 


845 


with  a  ter- 
with  trans- 
t  along  the 
ctending  on 
reaked  with 
erior  to  the 

and  seventy 
nches. 

summer 

38,  but  18 

1  through 


ite  in  the 
week  in 
lond  week 
rally  in  a 
a  tussock 
ciry  grass, 
made,  and 
0  be  fcund 

e  with  this 
ad,  though 


% 


some  were  only  partly  covered,  still  there  was  a  decided 
roof  to  all.  The  eggs  are  usually  four  in  number:  their 
color  is  generally  nearly  pure-white,  sometimes  reddish- 
white,  with  fine  spots  of  reddish-brown  diffused  over  the 
entire  surface  of  some  specimens ;  on  others,  thinly  scat- 
tered spots,  blotches  of  two  or  three  shades  of  brown  and 
lilac.  Their  dimensions  vary  from  1.10  by  .85  to  1  by  .78 
inch.    Their  form  is  usually  a  rounded  oval. 

A  rather  peculiar  specimen,  kindly  presented  me  by 
Mr.  J.  P.  Norris,  of  Philadelphia,  is  nearly  spherical  in 
form,  rosy-white  in  color,  with  exceedingly  minute  dots  of 
reddish.  Size,  1.05  by  .90  inch.  Nuttall  says  of  the  food 
of  this  species, — 

«  Their  food  consists  of  the  larvae  of  various  insects,  as  well  as 
worms,  beetles,  and  grass  seeds,  to  assist  the  digestion  of  which 
they  swallow  a  considerable  portion  of  gravel.  It  does  not  appear 
that  this  species  ever  adds  berries  or  fruiU  of  any  kind  to  his  fare, 
like  the  Starling,  but  usually  remains  the  whole  summer  in  moist 
meadows ;  and  in  winter  retires  to  the  open,  grassy  woods,  having 
no  inclination  to  rob  the  orchard  or  garden ;  and,  except  in  winter, 
is  of  a  shy,  timid,  and  retiring  disposition." 

But  one  brood  is  reared  in  the  season. 

In  the  autumn,  the  Larks  collect  in  small  flocks  of  ten  or 
a  dozen,  which  visit  the  marshes  and  stubble-fields  in  their 
neighborhood.  Their  note  at  this  season,  as  in  other  periods 
of  the  year,  is  nothing  but  a  shrill,  prolonged,  plaintive 
whistle.  Usually  one  bird  of  a  flock  is  perched  on  a  tree 
or  fence-post  as  a  sentinel;  and,  the  moment  a  gunner 
approaches,  the  bird  gives  his  alarm,  and  the  flock  is  on  the 
qui  Vive.  They  are  so  shy  that  it  is  extremely  difficult  to 
approach  them;  and,  when  shot  at,  they  are  secured  only  by 
guns  of  long  range.  Their  flight  is  a  peculiar  novering 
one, — the  wings  moving  in  short,  almost  impercoptible, 
vibrations. 


> 


^mHmsmtm 


846 


OHNITHOLOOY  AND   OOLOGY. 


Sub-Family  Iotebikjb.  —  The  OrioUt. 

Bin  slender,  elongated,  m  long  as  the  head,  generally  a  little  decurved,  and  rerf 
acute;  tanii  not  longer  tiian  the  middle  toe,  nor  than  the  head;  claws  short,  much 
curved;  outer  lateral  toe  a  little  longer  than  the  inner,  reaching  a  little  beyond  base 
of  middle  toe;  feet  adapted  for  perching;  UU  rounded  or  graduated;  prevailing 
colors  yellovr  or  orange,  and  bhtck. 


lOTEBUS  SPUBIUS.— BwMiporte. 

The  Orchard  Oriole. 

OrvUm  ^wriui,  Linnasus.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1766)  162. 

IcUrvt  npmmt,  Bonaparte.  Obs.  on  Norn.  Wils.  (1885),  No.  44.  And.  Om. 
Biog.,  I.  (1831)  221;  V.  485. 

Oriolui  mUatu»,  Wilson.    Am.  Cm.,  I.  (1808)  64. 

Descbiftion. 

Bill  slender,  attenuated,  considerably  decurved ;  tail  moderately  graduated. 

Mtde.  —  Head  and  neck  all  round,  wings,  and  interscapular  region  of  back,  with 
tail  feathers,  black;  rest  of  under  parts,  lower  part  of  back  to  tail,  and  lesser  upper 
wing  coverts,  with  the  lower  one,  brownish-chestnut ;  a  narrow  line  across  the  wing, 
•nd  the  extreme  outer  edges  of  quills,  white. 

Femafe.  — Uniform  greenish-yellow  beneath,  olivaceous  above;  and  browner  in 
the  middle  of  the  back ;  two  white  bands  on  the  wings.  Young  male  like  the  female, 
with  «  broad  black  patch  from  the  bill  to  the  upper  part  of  the  breast;  this  color 
extending  along  the  base  of  the  bill  so  as  to  involve  the  eye  and  all  anterior  to  it  to 

the  base  of  the  bill.  ,  ^    ,  ,  ^ .    .v 

In  this  species  the  bill  is  slender,  attenuated,  and  a  good  deal  decurved  to  the 
tip.  The  second  and  third  quBls  are  longest;  the  first  intermediate  between 
the  fourth  and  fifth.  The  tidl  is  rather  long ;  the  feathers  moderately  graduated,  the 
greatest  diflTerence  in  length  amounting  to  half  an  inch. 

The  black  of  the  throat  extends  backwards  as  far  as  the  bead  of  the  wing,  and 
ends  as  an  obtuse  angle.  The  taU  feathers  are  entirely  black,  with  duU  whitish  tips 
when  not  fully  mature. 

Specimens  are  found  in  all  stages  between  the  chamctet*  given  above.  When 
nearly  mature,  some  yeUowish  feathers  are  found  mixed  in  with  the  chestnut  ones. 

Length  of  specimens,  seven  and  twenty-five  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  three 
and  twenty-five  one-hundredths  inches. 

Tlus  bird  is  rather  rare  in  New  England,  and  is  confined 
to  the  southern  districts  as  a  summer  visitor.  It  arrives 
about  the  second  week  in  May,  and  commences  building 
about  the  first  week  in  June.  The  nest  is  usually  placed  in 
a  forked  branch  of  a  tree  in  the  orchard,  seldoiu  more  than 
twenty  feet  from  the  ground.    It  is  constructed  of  diflfereat 


h. 


! 


i 


lijBW^'A'uiill'ii'-  iii»'i«ii'i*i*"  ' "- 


tf 


'i,i»r4m>*»^ipmmmmiKf^ 


\ 


-# 


S'  ~  ^^ 


I 


Orchard  Orjole,  Icterus  spurita.     Bonaparte. 


|IJ^jjj|j)Wljtl  JliBBagL: 


1 

i 

^ 

t 

i 

' 

! 

i 

i                                                                                                                                                                   f 

u 


I 


ir 


KT' 


THE  ORCHARD   ORIOLE. 


847 


grasses,  which  are  woven  together  very  neatly  and  com- 
pactly :  the  whole  is  lined  with  fine  grass,  and  sometimes  a 
few  horsehairs.  It  is  not  pensile,  but  is  built  on  the  branch. 
The  eggs  are  four  or  five  in  number :  their  color  varies  from 
a  light-blue  to  a  fleshy  tint,  which  is  marked  with  irregu- 
lar spots  and  lines  of  obscure  lavender,  over  which  are  bold 
spots  and  blotches  of  black  and  brown.  The  dimensions 
vary  from  .86  to  .56  by  .54  inch.  But  one  brood  is  reared 
in  the  season. 

Nuttall,  in  describing  the  habits  of  this  species,  says,— 

"The  Orchard  Oriole  is  an  exceedingly  active,  sprightly,  and 
restless  bird :  in  the  same  instant  almost,  he  is  on  the  ground  after 
some  fallen  insect ;  fluttering  amidst  the  foliage  of  the  trees,  prying 
and  springing  after  his  lurking  prey ;  or  flying,  and  tuning  his  lively 
notes  in  a  manner  so  hurried,  rapid,  and  seemingly  confused,  that 
the  ear  is  scarce  able  to  thread  out  the  shrill  and  lively  syllables 
of  his  agitated  ditty.  Between  these  hurried  attempts,  he  also 
gives  others,  which  are  distinct  and  agreeable ;  but  still  his  tones 
are  neither  so  full  nor  so  mellow  as  those  of  the  brilliant  and  gay 
Baltimore." 

After  a  description  of  the  nest  and  eggs,  he  continues :  — 

"The  female  sits  about  fourteen  days,  and  the  young  continue 
in  the  nect  ten  (?)  days  before  they  become  qualified  to  flit  along 
with  their  parents ;  but  they  are  generally  seen  abroad  about  the 
middle  of  June.  Previously  to  their  departure,  the  young,  leaving 
the  care  of  their  parents,  become  gregarious,  and  assemble  some- 
times in  flocks  of  separate  sexes,  from  thirty  to  forty  upwards ;  in 
the  South,  frequenting  the  savannahs,  feeding  much  on  crickets, 
grasshoppers,  and  spiders.  According  to  Audubon,  they  sing  with 
great  liveliness  in  cages,  being  fed  on  rice  and  dry  fruits,  when 
fresh  cannot  be  procured.  Their  ordinary  diet,  it  appears,  is  cater- 
pillars and  insects,  of  which  they  destroy  great  quantities.  In  the 
course  of  the  season,  they  likewise  feed  on  various  kinds  of  juicy 
fruits  and  berries ;  but  their  depredations  on  the  fruits  of  the  orchard 
are  very  unimportant." 


lajgsjggjgjgj^; 


Ml 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOOY. 


In  a  largo  number  of  nests  received  from  Wisconsin,  sinco 
the  foregoing  was  in  typo,  a  proportion  were  pensile,  being 
composed  of  fine  grasses,  neatly  interwoven. 


V 


I0TSBD9  BALTIMOBl.  —  iJnuA""- 
/Th«  BaltimoM  Oriole;  Oolden  Bobin;  HwiB-Mit.  " 
Oridu*  BaUima,e,  Linn«u..     8y.t.  N.t,  L  (1766)  163.     WiU.  Am.  Orn.,  L 
^'*^'ic?'n»  BaUi^e,  D.udin."    Aud.  Cm.  Diog,  I.  (1831)  66,  V.  (1889)  278. 

Dkbcriptior. 

Tail  nearly  even;  head  all  round  and  to  middle  of  back,  .capuIarB,  wingi.  and 

noDor  surface  of  tail,  bloclc;  re.t  of  under  part*,  rump,  upper  tail  coverta,  and  le.wr 

7Zo^l  -th  t;rmi,.al  portion  of  tail  feathers  (except  two  innermoBt),  oran^ 

^d;   edge,  of  wing  quiiU,  with  a  band  acroM.  tl>e  Up.  of  the  greater  covcrU. 

"'"Jhe  female  is  much  lea.  brilliant  in  color;  the  black  of  the  head  and  back  gen^ 
rally  replaced  by  browui-h-j-aiow.  purer  on  the  throat;  each  feather  with  a  black 

'^^Length,  seven  and  fifty  one-hundredth,  inche.;  wing,  three  and  Mventy-flv. 
one-hundredth,  inches. 

This  well-known  species  is  abundantly  distributed  through- 
out New  England  as  a  summer  visitor.  It  ni;  kcs  its  appear- 
ance about  the  8th  of  May  in  Massachusetts,  =.nd  about  the 

middle  >  f  that  month 
or  later,  in  the  north- 
ern districts.    It  com- 
mences building  about 
the  20th  of  May.   The 
nest  is  usually  fixed 
in  an  elm-tree   near 
houses,  or  in  an  apple 
or  pear  tree  in  the  or- 
chard.    Nuttall's  de- 
scription of  the  nest 
is  the  best  that  1  have  ever  seen,  and  much  better  than 
any  I  could  make:  altliough  somewhat  lengthy,  I  give  it 
entire :  — • 


■f  (■  * 


--^■sm 


■  r' 


V 


THE   BALTIMUnB  ORIOLE. 


849 


**  There  is  nothing  more  remarkable  in  the  whole  instinct  of  our 
Golden  Koljin  than  the  ingenuity  displayed  in  the  fabrication  of  ita 
nest,  which  is,  in  fact,  a  pendulous,  cylindric  pouch  of  five  to  seven 
inches  in  depth,  usually  suspended  from  near  the  extremities  of  the 
high  drooping  branches  of  trees  (such  as  the  elm,  the  pear,  or  apple 
tree,  wild  cherry,  weeping  willow,  tulip-tree,  or  buttonwood).  It 
is  begun  by  firmly  fastening  natural  strings  of  the  flax  of  the  silk- 
weed,  or  swamp  hollyhock,  or  stout  artificial  threads,  around  two  or 
more  forked  twigs,  corresponding  to  the  intended  width  and  depth 
of  the  nest.  With  the  same  materials,  willow-down,  or  any  acci- 
dental ravellings,  strings,  thread,  sewing-silk,  tow,  or  wool,  iliat  may 
be  lying  near  the  neighboring  houses,  or  around  grafts  of  trecF,  they 
interweave  and  fabricate  a  sort  of  coarse  cloth  into  the  form  in- 
tended, towards  the  bottom  of  which  they  place  the  real  nest,  made 
chiefly  of  lint,  wiry  grass,  horse  and  cow  hair :  soi  .otimes,  in  defect 
of  hair,  lining  the  interior  with  a  mixture  of  slender  strips  of 
smooth  vine-bark,  and  rarely  with  a  few  feathers ;  the  whole  being 
of  a  considerable  thickness,  and  more  or  less  attached  to  the  exter- 
nal pouch.  Over  the  top,  the  leaves,  as  they  grow  out,  form  a 
verdant  and  agreeable  canopy,  defending  the  young  from  the  sun 
and  rain.  There  is  sometimes  a  considerable  difference  in  the 
manufacture  of  these  nests,  as  well  as  in  the  materials  which  enter 
into  their  composition.  Both  sexes  seem  to  be  equally  adepts  at 
thia  sort  of  labor ;  and  I  have  seen  the  female  alone  perform  the 
whole  without  any  assistance,  and  the  male  also  complete  this 
laborious  task  nearly  without  the  aid  of  his  consort,  who,  however, 
in  general,  is  the  principal  worker." 

The  eggs  ai^  four  or  five  in  number.  Tliey  are  of  a  flesh- 
color,  with  sometimes  a  bluish  tint :  they  are  marked  with 
obscure  lines  of  lavender,  over  which  are  irregular  Gcratches 
and  lines,  as  if  done  with  a  pen,  of  vandyke-brown  and 
black.  Their  dimensions  vary  from  1  by  .72  to  .88  by  .66 
inch.  The  food  of  this  bird,  and  also  of  the  preceding 
species,  consists  of  (jaterpillars  and  other  injurious  insects  : 
great  numbers  of  the.  hairy  caterpillars  are  destroyed ;  and 
sometimes  a  large  nest  of  the  apple-tree  caterpillars  is  do- 
populated  in  a  few  days.    The  Orioles  are  certainly,  there- 


mmmimmiimr~- 


860 


ORNITUOLOQT  AND  OOLOOT. 


fore,  worthy  the  highest  coriRideration  and  protection  from 
the  farniur. 

The  familiarity  of  this  bird  with  man,  and  its  aociablo  and 
gonial  disposition,  are  so  well  known  that  any  doacription 
of  its  habits  here  is  unnocosBury.  Abont  the  middle  of 
September,  after  forming  into  small  detached  flocks,  this 
species  leaves  New  England  on  its  southern  migration. 


-  X- 


Sub-Family  Qdisoalin^.  —  The  GraMet. 

Bill  rather  attenuated, as  long  or  longer  than  the  head;  the  culmen  curved,  the 
tip  much  bent  down ;  tlic  cutting  edges  inflected,  so  as  to  impart  a  somewhat  tubular 
appearance  to  each  mandible;  the  commissure  sinuated;  tail  longer  than  the  wings, 
usunlly  much  graduated ;  legs  longer  than  the  head,  fitted  for  walking. 

The  bill  of  the  Q,uwcaUna  is  very  difleront  from  that  of  the  other  Icttrida,  and  la 
readily  recognized  by  the  tendency  to  a  rounding  inward  along  the  cutting  edges, 
rendering  the  width  in  a  crofs  section  of  the  bill  considerably  less  along  the  commia* 
aure  than  above  or  below.    The  culmen  is  more  curved  than  in  the  Agelaina. 

The  only  genera  in  the  United  States  are  as  follows:  — 

Scoi^GoniAous.  —  Tail  shorter  than  the  wings,  nearly  even ;  bill  shorter  than 
the  head. 

QuiscALVB. — Tail  longer  than  the  wings,  much  graduated;  bill  aa  long  aa  or 
longer  than  the  head. 

SCOLECOPFIAOUS,  SwAixsoir. 

Scdtcophagiu,  SwAiNaoN,  F.  Bor.  Am.,  11.  (1881).  (Type  Oriolut  ftrrugineut, 
Gmelin. ) 

Bill  shorter  than  the  head,  rather  slender,  the  edges  inflexed  aa  in  Qm$ealu$,  which 
it  otherwise  greatly  resembles;  the  commissure  sinuated;  culmen  rounded,  but  not 
flattened;  tarsi  longer  than  the  middle  toe;  tail  even,  or  slightly  rounded. 


SCOLECOPRAODS  FEBBUOISEUS.  —  .Sieatnson. 

Th«  Bnaty  Graekle. 

Graeuia  ferruginea,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  III.  (1811)  41. 

Qfd$calus  ferrugineut,  Nuttall.  Han.,  I.  (1832)  190.  Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  II.  (1884) 
816;  V.  (1839)  483. 

SeoUeqahagvt  ferrugintiu,  Swainson.    F.  Bor.  Am.,  II.  (1881)  286. 

DESCRIFTIOIf. 

Bill  slender,  shorter  than  the  head,  about  equal  to  the  hind  toe;  its  height  not 
quite  two-fifths  the  total  length ;  wing  nearly  an  inch  longer  than  the  tail ;  second 
quill  longest ;  first  a  little  shorter  than  the  fourth ;  tail  slightly  graduated ;  the  latenl 


"1 


THE  BU8TY  BLACKBIRD. 


861 


ftafhm  about  .  qaarUr  of  .n  Inch  .J,orte»t,  gen.™!  color  l.l.ok.  with  purpl,  nd^ 
tkm.i  .h«  w.ng,  u„a«r  .all  cover...  anU  hl„.l«r  part  of  the  belly,  ^M  with 
gmn.     bcmalB,  (liill-lm)wn.    Iri»,  palo-ittraw  color. 

Length,  nine  ami  (illy  one-hundr«<ltha  Ineho.,  wing,  four  and  .eventy-flvi  on.. 
nundr««l(hi;  Uil,  lourlnchea. 

This  bird  is  not  uncommon  in  tho  Now-Eiigland  Statoa  in 

tho  spring  and  fall  migrations,  but  is  novor  plenty,  and 

retires  to  high  latitudes  to  breed.     A  few  remain  in  the 

northern  districts  of  Maine  and  Now  Hampshire  through 

the  brooding  season;   but  their  nests  are   seldom   found. 

While  in  tho  valley  of  tho  Magalloway  River,  in  Maine,  in 

June,  18G4,  I  found  several ;  and  two  of  them  contained 

three  eggs  in  each.    These  nests  were  all  built  in  low  alders 

overhanging  tho  water:  they  wore  constructed  of,  first  a 

layer  of  twigs  and  brier-stalks ;  on  this  was  buHt  the  nest 

proper,  which  was  composed  of  stalks  and  leaves  of  grass, 

winch  were  mixed  with  mud,  and  moulded  into  a  firm,  cir- 

cular  structure,  and  lined  with  fine  loaves  of  grass  and  a  few 

Imir-like  roots.     The  whole  formed  a  largo  structure,  easily 

seen  at  the  distance  of  a  few  rods  through  the  foliage. 

The  eggs  are  of  a  bluish-white  color,  of  oval  form,  and 
covered  with  fine  scratches  and  spots  of  light-brown.  These 
markings  are  almost  exactly  similar  to  those  on  the  egg  of 
the  Great-cren'ed  Flycatcher:  they  appear  as  if  done  with 
a  pen,  which,  as  soon  as  it  is  pressed  forcibly  on  the  object 
18  suddenly  withdrawn,  making  a  mark  wide  at  one  end! 
and  sharply  pointed  at  the  other. 

The  dimensions  of  three  eggs  in  my  collection  are  1.04 
by  .76  mch,  1.05  by  .75  inch,  1  by  .70  inch. 

The  habits  of  this  species  are  less  known  than  those  of 
any  of  our  other  Blackbirds.  This  is  owing  as  much  to 
Its  unsociable,  retiring  disposition  as  to  the  scarcity  of  its 
numbers.  When  it  arrives  in  spring, -sometimes  as  early 
as  the  third  week  in  March, -it  frequents  the  low,  swampy 
thickets,  where,  in  companies  of  three  or  four,  it  employs  it- 
self in  searching  for  seeds  of  various  aquatic  grasses,  insects, 
worms,  and  the  smaU  crustacffl  found  iu  such  localities. 


■■HH 


852 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOaY. 


If  approached,  it  flies  a  short  distance  into  a  low  tree,  and 
watches  the  intruder,  uttering  its  alarm-note  check,  —  some- 
times, cheek-che  wSech  or  check  che  wiecha.  Tliis  note  is 
uttered  by  both  sexes,  and  seems  to  be  the  only  song  pos- 
sessed by  either.  I  have  observed  them  carefully,  not  only 
in  the  spring,  but  during  the  breeding  season  and  in  the 
autumn,  and  I  never  heard  them  emit  any  other.  Both 
sexes  incubate,  and  manifest  groat  anxiety  wlien  the  nest  is 
approached ;  the  males  flying  and  scolding  over  the  head 
of  the  intruder,  in  the  manner  of  the  Red-winged  Blackbird. 
As  I  paddled  my  canoe  up  beneath  one  of  the  nests  de- 
scribed above,  the  parent  bird  remained  sitting,  almost  until 
my  hand  touched  the  limb  on  which  the  structure  was 
placed.  On  flying  off,  she  uttered  a  chattering  cry,  almost 
exactly  like  that  of  the  female  Redwing  wlien  disturbed 
in  a  similar  manner. 

Early  in  September,  the  old  and  young  birds  collect  in 
small  detached  flocks,  and  frequent  the  same  localities  that 
they  haunt  in  spring,  from  which  they  occasionally  visit  old 
cornfields  and  stubble-fields,  where  they  catch  grasshoppers 
and  other  insects,  and  eat  the  seed  of  weeds  and  such  grains 
as  are  left  by  the  farmer  after  harvesting. 

They  remain  in  southern  New  England  until  early  in 
November. 

QUISCALUS,  ViEiLLOT. 

QttucaJas,  ViElLLOT,  Analyse  (1816).  (Gray.)  (Typo  Cracu/a  jawcafa,  L.) 
Bill  as  long  as  the  head,  the  culmen  slightly  curved,  the  gonys  almost  straight; 
the  edges  of  the  bill  inflected  and  rounded;  the  commissure  quite  strongly  sinuated; 
outlines  of  tarsal  scutellte  well  defined  on  the  sides;  wings  shorter  than  the  tail, 
sometimes  much  more  so;  tail  long,  the  feathers  conspicuously  and  decidedly  gradu- 
ated.    Colors  black. 

QUISCALUS   TEBSICOLOB —  FieiVfoi. 
"f  The  Crow  Blackbird;  ?iirple  Grakle— 

Graeula  guiscala,  LinnsBus.  Syst.  Nat,  I.  (1766)  166.  Wils.  Am.  Om.,  III. 
(1811) 44. 

Quisealut  versicolor,  Vieillot.  Analyse?  (1816).  />.,  Nouv.  Diet.,  XXVIII. 
J1819)  488.   Nutt.  Man.,  I.  (1882)  194.    Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  I.  (1881)  85;  V.  (1888)  481. 


J^ 


r  tree,  and 
k,  —  some- 
118  note  is 

song  pos- 
,  not  only 
and  in  the 
ler.  Both 
the  nest  is 
•  the  head 
Blackbird. 
)  nests  de- 
most  until 
cture  was 
iry,  almost 

disturbed 

collect  in 
ilities  that 
[y  visit  old 
asshoppers 
uch  grains 

il  early  in 


mucala,  L.) 
Imost  straight; 
>ngly  sinuated; 
than  the  tail, 
ecidedly  gradi'- 


Am.  On.,  III. 

oict.,  xxyiii. 

;  V.  (1888)  481. 


a 


Cuow   Rlaokbikd,  Quiscalm  versicolor.     VieiUot. 


Ti 


y 


I  i 


fr'.-Ji 


THE   CROW   BLACKBIRD. 


Dkbckiption. 


353 


Bill  above,  about  as  long  as  the  head,  more  than  twice  as  long  as  high ;  the  com- 
missure moderately  sinuated  and  considerably  decurved  at  tip;  tail  a  little  shorter 
than  the  wing,  much  graduated,  the  lateral  feathers  one  and  ten  one-hundredths 
inchfis  shorter;  third  quill  longest,  first  between  fourth  and  fifth;  head  and  neck  all 
well  defined  steel-blue;  the  rest  of  the  body  with  varied  reflections  of  bronze, 
golden,  green,  copper,  and  purple,  the  latter  most  conspicuous  on  the  tail,  the  tail 
coverts,  and  wings;  the  edges  of  primaries  and  of  tail  greenish.  Female  similar, 
but  smaller  and  duller,  with  perhaps  more  green  on  the  head.    Iris,  yellow. 

Length,  thirteen  inches ;  wings,  six ;  tail,  five  and  eighty  one-hundredths ;  bill 
above,  one  and  twenty-five  one-hundredths  inches. 

This  very  common  and  well-known  bird  is  distributed 
throughout  New  England  in  the  summer  season ;  arriving 
about  the  first  week  in  April.  It  is  a  social  species ;  and, 
instead  of  breaking  up  into  scattered  pairs,  the  birds 
remain  in  flocks,  and  breed  in  communities,  sometimes 
several  pairs  on  one  tree.  The  nest  is  composed  of  mud, 
in  which  grass,  seaweed,  fine  roots,  and  other  like  mate- 
rials, are  mixed  and  woven  into  a  large,  compact  structure, 
which  is  lined  with  fine  grass,  seaweeds,  and  sometimes 
a  few  horsehairs. 

The  eggs  are  four  or  five  in  number.  They  vary  in  color 
from  light-blue  to  light-brown,  and  are  marked  with  obscure 
spots  of  light-brown,  over  which  are  laid  blotches  and  lines 
of  black  and  umber-brown.  They  vary  in  dimensions  from 
1.30  by  .88  to  1.18  by  .84  inch.  Usually,  but  one  brood  is 
reared  in  the  season;  and  in  September  the  birds  collect 
into  immense  flocks,  and  do  considerable  mischief  in  the 
cornfields :  in  other  seasons,  their  food  consists  of  "  larvae, 
caterpillars,  moths,  and  beetles,  of  which  they  devour  such 
numbers,  that,  but  for  this  providential  economy,  the  whole 
crop  of  grain  in  many  places  would  probably  be  destroyed 
by  the  time  it  began  to  germinate." 

Wilson,  in  describing  the  habits  of  this  species,  says,  — 

"  The  trees  where  these  birds  build  are  often  at  no  great  distance 
from  the  farm-house,  and  overlook  the  plantations.  From  thence 
they  issue  in  all  directions,  and  with  as  much  confidence,  to  make 
their  daily  depredations  among  the  surrounding  fields,  as  if  the 
whole  were  mteuded  fer  their  use  alone.    Then:  chief  attrition, 

23 


— 1 


854 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


:    f 


however,  is  directed,  to  the  Indian  com  in  all  its  progressive  stages. 
As  soon  as  the  infant  blade  of  this  grain  begins  to  make  its  appear- 
ance above  ground,  the  Grakles  hail  the  welcome  signal  with 
screams  of  peculiar  satisfaction ;  and,  without  waiting  for  a  formal 
invitation  from  the  proprietor,  descend  on  the  fields,  and  begin  to 
pull  up  and  regale  themselves  on  the  seed,  scattering  the  green 
blades  around.  While  thus  eagerly  employer'.,  the  vengeance  of  the 
gun  sometimes  overtakes  them ;  but  these  msasters  are  soon  forgot- 
ten, and  those  — 

'  Who  live  to  get  away, 
Beturn  to  steal,  another  day.' 

About  the  beginning  of  August,  when  the  young  ears  are  in  their 
milky  state,  they  are  attacked  with  redoubled  eagerness  by  the 
Grakles  and  Redwings,  in  formidable  and  combined  oodies.  They 
descend  like  a  blackening,  sweeping  tempest  on  the  corn,  di^  '.fi 
the  external  covering  of  twelve  or  fifteen  coats  of  leaves  as  dex- 
terously as  if  done  by  the  hand  of  man,  and,  having  laid  bare  the 
ear,  leave  little  behind  to  the  farmer  but  the  cobs  and  shrivelled 
skins  that  contained  their  favorite  fare.  I  have  seen  fields  of  corn 
of  many  acres,  where  more  than  one-half  was  thus  ruined." 

About  the  last  week  in  September,  these  birds,  in  im- 
mense flocks,  depart  on  their  southern  migration :  so  abun- 
dant are  they  at  that  time,  and  so  closely  do  they  fly 
together  in  a  flock,  that  I  have  killed,  at  one  discharge  of 
my  gun,  over  a  dozen  birds.  They  visit  the  beech  woods, 
and  also  the  oak  groves,  and  feed  upon  the  nuts  found 
on  and  beneath  those  trees.  They  also  eat  the  seeds  of 
weeds  and  various  wild  plants,  as  I  have  proved  by  examin- 
ing the  stomachs  of  different  specimens. 

In  the  evidence  before  the  Committee  on  Agriculture,  in 
the  session  of  Massachusetts  Legislature,  for  1869  and  '70, 
it  appeared,  from  the  testimony  of  numerous  observers,  that 
the  Crow  Blackbird,  or  Grakle,  destroys,  in  the  breeding 
season  of  the  smaller  birds,  great  numbers  of  eggs  and 
young  birds,  eating  them  after  the  manner  of  the  jays  and 
crows.  1  have  not  observed  this  fact  myself,  but  on  inquiry 
find  from  difierent  observers  that  such'  is  often  the  habit  of 
tliis  species. 


r 


"^tta 


-i 


'     • 


THB  AMEBICAN  BAVEN. 


86A 


ve  stages. 
ts  appear- 
pal  with 
r  a  formal 
begin  to 
the  green 
nee  of  the 
on  forgot- 


FxMn.T  COEVID-^. 

Primaries  ten;  the  flret  short,  prenerally  about  half  aa  long  as  the  second  (or  a 
little  more),  the  outer  four  sinuated  on  the  inner  cdRc;  the  nasal  fossio  and  nostrils 
usually  more  or  less  concealed  by  narrow  stifflined  bristles  (or  bristly  feathers),  with 
short  appressed  lateral  branches  extending  to  the  very  tip,  all  directed  forwards; 
tarsi  scutellate  anteriorly,  the  sides  undivided  (except  sometimes  below)  and  separa- 
ted from  the  anterior  plates  by  a  narrow,  naked  strip,  sometimes  tilled  up  with  small 
scales;  basal  joint  of  middle  toe  united  about  equally  to  the  lateral,  generally  for 
about  half  the  length;  bill  generally  notched. 


B  in  their 
ss  by  the 
es.  Thfty 
:n,  digi'.ir 
!8  aa  ic%- 
[  bare  the 
shrivelled 
is  of  corn 


is,  in  im- 

80  abun- 

they  fly 

charge  of 

ih  woods, 

its  found 

seeds  of 

jT  examin- 

iulture,  in 
9  and  70, 
'vers,  that 
breeding 
eggs  and 
!  jays  and 
)n  inquiry 
}  habit  of 


Sub-Family  Cokvin^.  —  The  Orows. 

Wings  long  and  pointed ;  longer  than  the  tail,  and,  when  closed,  reaching  nearly 
to  its  tip,  extending  far  beyond  the  under  tail  coverts;  the  third,  fourth,  and  fifth 
quilla  forming  the  <  y  of  the  wing. 

COBVUS,  L1NN.BU8. 

Cormt,  LlNN^BUS,  Syst.  Kat.  (1736).  (Type  Oorvui  eorax,  L.) 
The  nasal  feathers  lengthened,  reaching  to  or  beyond  the  middle  of  the  bill; 
nostrils  large,  circular,  overhung  behind  by  membrane,  the  edges  rounded  else- 
where; rictus  without  bristles;  bill  nearly  as  long  as  the  tarsus,  very  stout ;  much 
higher  than  broad  at  the  base;  culmen  much  arched;  wings  reaching  to  or  nearly  to 
the  tip  of  the  tail;  tarsi  longer  than  the  middle  toe,  with  a  series  of  small  scales  on 
the  middle  of  each  side  separating  the  anterior  scutellate  portion  from  the  posterior 
continuous  plates;  side  of  the  head  occasionally  with  nearly  naked  patches;  tail 
graduated  or  rounded ;  the  outer  four  primaries  sinuated  internally. 

COEVUS    CABNIVOEUS Bar&am. 

The  American  Baven. 

Corvtu  earnivonu,  Bartram.    Travels  in  E.  Florida  (1798),  290. 

Corvui  corax,  Wilson.  Am.  Om.,  IX.  (1826)  186.  Nutt.  Man.,  I.  (1882)  203. 
Aud.  Birds  Am.,  IV.  (1842)  78. 

Descriftiom. 

Fourth  quill  longest ;  third  and  fifth  about  equal ;  second  between  fifth  and  sixth ; 
first  nearly  equal  to  the  eighth;  entu-ely  glossy  black,  with  violet  reflections. 

In  this  species,  the  feathers  of  the  head  above  and  body  are  compact  and  blended ; 
those  of  the  back  of  the  nepk  are  very  smooth  and  even,  but  do  not  show  the  out! 
lines  of  each  separately  as  elsewhere;  on  the  chin  and  throat,  the  featliers  aJ'e 
elongated  and  lanceolate,  each  one  more  or  less  pendent  or  iVee,  with  the  outlines 
distinct  to  near  the  base;  the  biU  is  very  long  (three  inches),  and  considerably 
curved,  the  upper  mandible  extending  considerably  over  the  upper  at  tne  end. 


■'lii^mmmmimmimmimmmm 


mmmm  -. 


IliiJLIIilJIIIIP 


Mi 


866 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


The  feet  appear  rer,-  fihort  and  Btout;  the  ta«:  with  but  .even  Mu  ell»,  rafter 
longer  than  the  middle  t«e  and  claw,  the  lateral  claw,  about  eq«.  ,  and  extend.ng 
•to  a  little  beyond  tl.e  b«.e  of  the  middle  claw;  the  fourth  q.ull  «  lonS-  -  the 
third  about  equal  the  fifth,  the  «icond  considerably  longer  tlian  the  sixth,  the  fln.t 

''^tZ:Z:':::^^oi7Z:.y..r.  inches,  exte.  «ay  to  fifty-one,  wing 
abot^— en,  tail.  t'n.    Tail  moderately  graduaUjd,  the  o"'- 'J-; -; ';;^, 
sixty  one-hundredth,  to  one  and  niaety  one-hundredth,  of  an  mch  less  thun  th. 
middle. 

THIS  bird  is  an  extremely  rare  resident  in  New  England. 
I  have  never  heard  of  its  breeding  here  ;  but  it  occa- 
sionally rears  its  young  on  the  island  of  Grand  Monan, 

off  the  north-east  coast  of 
Maine.  There,  on  the  steep 
and  almost  inaccessible  cliffs, 
its  nest  is  built.  This  is  com- 
posed of  twigs,  sticks,  seaweed, 
and  pieces  of  turf,  and  is  lined 
with  the  finer  seaweeds  and 
algJB  found  on  the  seacoast. 

A  nest  that  I  found  in  Ohio 

was  built  on  a  jutting  rock  in 

a  large  cave.     On  ascending 

to  it,  I  found  that  it  was  built 

of  coarse  sticks  and  twigs,  and 

was  lined  with  leaves,  strips 

of  bark,  and  pieces  of  moss. 

This  nest  had  been  occupied  — so  a  settler  told  me  — for  a 

number  of  years,  by  the  same  pair  of  birds,  who  made  the 

cave  and  its  surrounding  forest  their  permanent  home 

through  the  year. 

From  its  protected  situation,  it  required  but  few  alterar 
tions  and  additions  each  year ;  and  many  of  the  sticks  of 
which  it  was  composed  were  quite  rotten  and  decayed. 

It  contained  five  young,  aliout  half-grown.  As  this  was 
on  the  18th  of  March,  I  judged  the  eggs  must  have  been 
laid  by  the  20th  of  February.  , 

The  eggs  of  this  species  are  generally  four  or  five  in 


I 

I 


w     '■nxmikmmm'- 


ii 


ji 


icutelln,  rather 
and  extending 
is  longest,  the 
sixth,  the  first 

ifty-one;  wing, 
about  one  and 
t  less  thun  the 


w  England, 
but  it  occa- 
,nd  Menan, 
t   coast  of 
1  the  steep 
ssible  cliffs, 
riiis  is  com- 
is,  seaweed, 
and  is  lined 
aweeds  and 
seacoast. 
iind  in  Ohio 
ing  rock  in 
1  ascending 
,  it  was  built 
d  twigs,  and 
javcB,  strips 
;es  of  moss. 
.  me  —  for  a 
10  made  the 
lanent  home 

it  few  alterar 
the  sticks  of 
ecayed. 
As  this  was 
ist  have  been 

av  or  five  in 


THE  COMMON   CROW. 


857 


number:  they  almost  exactly  reaemblq  those  of  the  Com- 
mon Crow;  but  are  considerably  larger,  averaging  about 
two  inches  in  length  by  1.65  inch  in  breadth. 

A  specimen  in  my  collection,  of  undoubted  authenticity, 
collected  on  Grand  Menan,  is  much  smaller  than  the  usual 
size,  being  but  1.70  by  1.24  inch  in  dimensions. 

The  habits  of  this  bird  have  been  described  so  many 
times,  and  are  so  familiar  to  all,  that  I  will  not  give  them 
an  extended  notice  here. 

COBVUS  AMEBICANUS.— ^u<M<M. 

y  The  Common  Crow.  — 

Corvui  corone,  Wilson.    Am.  Orn.,  IV.  (1811)  79.    Nutt.  Man.,  I.  (1832)  206. 
Cm-wt  Americanut,  \\id\xhon.    Om.  Biog.,  U.  (1834)  817;  V.  477.    Nutt.  Man., 

I.  (2d  ed.,  1840)  221. 

Description. 

Fourth  quill  longest,  second  shorter  than  sixth,  Brst  shorter  than  n;nth;  glossy 

black  with  violet  reflection*,  even  on  the  belly;  tarsus  longer  than  the  middle  toe 

and  claw. 

The  bill  is  considerably  narrower  than  high  or  much  compressed;  it  is  gently 
curved  from  the  very  base,  rather  njpre  rapidly  towards  the  tip;  the  incumbent 
feathers  of  the  nostril  reach  half  the  distance  from  the  base  of  the  bill  to  the  end  of 
the  lower  jaw,  and  not  quite  half-way  to  that  of  the  upper. 

The  Ursus  has  eight  scutellse  anteriorly,  and  is  rather  longer  than  the  middle  toe 
and  claw;  the  lateral  toes  are  very  nearly  equal;  the  inner  claw  the  larger,  and 
reaching  to  the  base  of  the  middle  claw. 

The  webs  of  the  throat  feathers  are  a  little  loose,  but  lie  quite  smoothly,  without 
the  pointed  lanceolate  character  seen  in  the  ravens. 

Length,  nineteen  to  twenty  inches;  wing,  thirteen  to  thirteen  and  fifty  one-hijn- 
dredths;  tail,  about  eight  inches. 

This  well-known  bird  is  abundant  through  New  England 
in  the  summer,  and  in  mild  winters  is  a  resident  through 
the  year.  The  species  —  as  Mr.  Allen  justly  remarks,  in 
his  Catalogue  of  the  Birds  of  Springfield,  Mass.  —  "  seems 
to  have  diminished  very  materially  in  numbers  in  the  last 
six  or  eight  years ;  hundreds,  and  probably  thousands,  hav- 
ing been  killed  in  the  State  by  the  use  of  strychnine  almost 
every  year." 

About  the  first  week  in  May,  the  birds  separate  into  pairs, 
and  soon  commence  building.    The  neet  is  usually  built  iu  a 


-9HB 


868 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


fork  of  a  tall  pino,  aometimos  in  u  thick  birch  or  hemlock : 
it  is  constructed  of,  first,  a  layer  of  coarse  twigs  and  sticks, 
then  a  layer  of  the  bark  of  the  codar,  moss,  and  sometimes 
bunches  of  grass ;  it  is  warmly  lined  with  the  bark  of  the 
cedar,  and  sometimes  a  few  leaves.  The  eggs  are  usually 
four  in  number :  their  color  is  of  different  shades  of  green, 
which  is  covered  with  blotches  and  spots  of  different  browns, 
and  dusky.  Dimensions  vary  from  1.65  by  1.20  to  1.60  by 
1.08  inch.     But  one  brood  is  reared  in  the  season. 

Perhaps  no  branch  of  American  rural  economy  has  been 
80  little  investigated  as  the  food  of  our  native  birds.  In 
Europe,  within  a  few  years,  the  attention  of  scientific  men 
has  been  turned  to  the  subject:  but  the  information  they 
have  been  able  to  obtain,  althougli  vahiable,  cannot,  of 
course,  be  applied,  otherwise  than  by  a  series  of  analogies, 
to  this  country ;  and  the  economical  value  of  most  of  our 
species  is  as  yet  almost  entirely  unknown  to  us.  This  igno- 
rance is  owing,  principally,  to  the  difficulty  attending  such 
investigations,  —  the  killing  of  great  numbers  of  birds  in 
all  the  seasons  when  they  are  found  with  us,  which  is  abso- 
lutely necessary,  but  which  is  extremely  distasteful  to  most 
persons ;  and  it  has  been  aggravated  somewhat  by  the  con- 
tradictory statements  of  various  persons  in  different  locali- 
ties regarding  the  food  of  some  species  that  they  have  had 
the  means  of  observing. 

Of  these  birds,  none  have  given  rise  to  more  controversy 
than  the  Corvidce  ;  and  I  propose  to  discuss  briefly  here  this 
interesting  topic,  and  bring  a  few  facts  and  arguments, 
founded  on  reason  or  actual  observation,  to  show  their 
actual  economical  value. 

Until  very  recently,  I  have  been  the  earnest  advocate  of 
these  birds,  and  have  believed  that  the  benefits  they  render 
much  more  than  balance  the  injuries  they  inflict;  but  I 
must  say,  that,  after  careful  consideration,  my  faith  in  their 
utility  is  sadly  shaken. 

At  the  outset  I  will  say,  that  I  have  kept  specimens  in 


»     f 


%»!"•< 


»s« 


'-■M">"" 


hemlock : 
lid  stiuka, 
omotimes 
rk  of  the 
0  usually 
of  green, 
it  browns, 
to  1.50  by 

has  been 
jirds.  In 
itific  men 
Uion  they 
annot,  of 
analogies, 
)8t  of  our 
This  igno- 
ding  such 
f  birds  in 
;h  is  abso- 
il  to  most 
y  the  con- 
eut  locali- 

have  had 

Dntroversy 
J  here  this 
rguments, 
how  their 

ivocate  of 
ley  render 
ict;  but  I 
th  in  their 


icimeus  m 


I    I. 


rr 


M, 


Common   C'kovv,  Corrtis  Amerimvus.     Audubon. 


■' -5*SgBI^ 


■HRMMMMe 


II 


-<r—  --^sa«j.«i 


THE   COMMON   CROW. 


359 


captivity ;  and  have,  by  actual  observation,  proved  that  at 
least  eight  ounces  of  such  food  as  frogs,  fish,  Ac,  are  eaten 
daily  by  our  Common  Crow.  Of  course,  like  other  birds,  it 
can  live  on  a  very  limited  allowance ;  but  I  think  that  the 
above  is  a  reasonable  amount:  however,  to  be  absolutely 
within  bounds,  we  will  fix  the  food  of  the  Crow  to  be  equal 
to  five  ounces  of  animal  matter  per  diem.  Beginning,  then, 
with  the  new  year,  we  will  follow  the  life  of  this  bird  through 
all  the  seasons,  and  then  compare  the  results  arrived  at 
together,  good  and  bad. 

During  the  months  of  January,  February,  and  March, 
when  the  face  of  the  country  is  covered  with  snow,  the 
insects  being  dormaht,  and  the  small  birds  away  to  more 
southern  districts,  most  of  the  Crows  migrate  from  New 
England :  and  the  few  that  remain  depend  upon  a  scanty 
subsistence  of  seeds  of  wild  plants  and  weeds,  acorns,  apples 
that  have  been  left  on  the  trees  in  the  orchard,  and  frozen ; 
and  they  occasionally  capture  a  field-mouse  that  strays  from 
its  nest  in  the  stubble-field  or  swamp.  The  life  of  the  Crow 
during  these  months  is  one  continued  starvation ;  and  the 
expression,  "  poor  as  a  crow,''  may  be  applied  to  it,  as  well 
describing  its  condition.  It  succeeds  in  finding  a  few 
cocoons  of  Lepidopteroui  insects  ;  meets  occasionally  with  a 
caterpillar  or  beetle ;  and,  on  the  whole,  its  labors  during 
these  months  may  be  called  beneficial ;  although  the  good 
resulting  from  them  is  of  so  little  amount  that  we  might 
safely  regard  them  as  neutral.  But,  to  be  beyond  the  chance 
of  doing  it  an  injustice,  we  will  assume,  that,  during  tha 
three  months  above  mentioned,  the  Crow  does  as  much  good 
as  during  the  whole  month  of  April. 

Let  us  adopt,  in  this  discussion,  a  system  of  numerals  to 
signify  the  relative  values  of  this  bird  through  the  year; 
taking  the  unit  one  to  represent  the  labors  of  each  day.  The 
Crow  is  therefore  vialuable,  during  January,  February,  and 
March,  thirty  uniil^,  a^d  in  April  is  unquestionably  thirty 
units  more ;  for  lis  food  then  consists  almost  entirely  of 


860 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


noxious  insects  in  their  different  forms.  It  is  perfectly  safe 
to  say,  that  it  would  destroy  a  thousand  insects  in  making 
up  the  amount  of  food  that  I  mentioned  above ;  and  it  is  not 
improbable,  that,  during  this  month,  it  actually  eats  that 
number  daily. 

During  the  first  half  of  May,  its  labors  are  undoubtedly 
beneficial ;  for  its  food  still  consists  almost  entirely  of  in-  . 
sects :  but  after  the  middle  of  that  month,  when  the  small 
birds  have  begun  to  lay  their  eggs  and  hatch  their  young, 
the  Crow  divides  its  diet  pretty  equally  between  them  and  the 
insects.    Now,  it  is  not  apparent,  at  the  first  glance,  how 
immensely  injurious  it  becomes  the  moment  it  begins  to 
destroy  the  eggs  and  young  of  our  small  birds ;  but  we  may 
demonstrate  it  to  an  approximation.     "We  will  allow,  that, 
during  the  latter  part  of  May,  half  of  its  food  consists  of 
injurious  insects  and  other  vermin :  it  is  therefore  beneficial 
in  the  whole  month  about  twenty-ihree  unittj.     But  it  is 
perfectly  reasonable  to  say,  that  it  destroys  at  least  the  eggs 
or  young  of  one  pair  of  Sparrows,  four  in  number ;  one  pair 
of  Warblers,  four  in  number ;  and  one  pair  of  Thrushes  or 
Starlings,  four  in  number :  for  I  have  known  one  pair  of 
Canada  Jays  to  kill  and  devour  the  half-grown  young  of  four 
families  of  Snowbirds  (Junco  hyemalis),  sixteen  birds  in  all, 
in  one  forenoon ;  and  have  seen  a  pair  of  crows,  in  two 
visits  to  an  orchard,  within  a  half-hour's  time,  destroy  the 
young  birds  in  two  robins'  nests. 

Now,  let  us  see  what  the  injury  amounts  to  that  it  does  in 
destroying  the  four  eggs  or  young  of  the  Sparrows,  Warblers, 
and  Thrushes.  It  is  a  well-known  fact,  that  the  young  of 
all  our  small  birds,  whether  insectivorous  or  graminivorous 
in  the  adult  stage,  are  fed  entirely  on  insects.  Bradley 
says  that  a  pair  of  Sparrows  will  destroy  3,360  caterpillars 
for  a  week's  family  supplies.  For  four  weeks,  at  i\iQ  lowest 
estimate,  the  young  of  our  Sparrows  are  fed  on  this  diet ; 
and  the  family  that  the  crow  destroys  would,  in  that  time, 
eat  at  least  13,440  noxious  insects ;  and,  as  they  feed  more 


THE   COMMON   CROW. 


361 


ictly  safe 

I  making 

it  is  not 

jats  that 

oubtedly 
ly  of  in-  . 
he  small 
r  young, 
1  and  the 
nee,  how 
legins  to 
t  we  may 
ow,  that, 
(nsists  of 
beneficial 
But  it  is 
the  eggs 
one  pair 
rushes  or 
16  pair  of 
ig  of  four 
:ds  in  all, 
s,  in  two 
jstroy  the 

it  does  in 
Warblers, 
young  of 
dnivorous 
Bradley 
iterpillars 
he  lowest 
this  diet; 
that  time, 
feed  more 


or  less  upon  the  same  diet  during  their  stay  with  us,  killing 
certainly  as  many  as  fifty  insects  each  daily,  the  family 
woidd  devour  two  hundred  per  diem,  or,  before  they  leave 
us  in  September,  as  many  as  twenty  thousand.  The  War- 
blers are  entirely  insectivorous,  and  we  can  certainly  allow 
them  as  great  destructive  capacity  as  the  Sparrows.  The 
four  that  the  crow  destroys  would  have  devoured,  before 
they  leave  us  in  autumn,  at  least  thirty  thousand  cater- 
pillars and  other  insects.  A  pair  of  thrushes  has  been 
actually  seen  to  carry  over  a  hundred  insects,  principally 
caterpillars,  to  their  young  in  an  hour's  time :  if  we  sup- 
pose that  the  family  mentioned  above  be  fed  for  only  six 
hours  in  the  day,  they  would  eat  six  hundred  per  diem,  at 
least  while  they  remain  in  th  j  -lest,  which  being  three  weeks, 
the  amount  would  be  12,600 ;  and  before  they  leave  us  in 
the  fall,  allowing  only  fifty  each  per  day,  —  a  very  small 
number,  —  they  would,  in  the  aggregate,  kill  twenty  thou- 
sand more. 

Now,  we  find  that  the  Crow  in  one  day  destroys  birds 
that  would  together  eat  96,040  insects  before  they  would 
leave  us  for  their  winter  homes,  or  about  ninety-six  times  m 
many  as  it  would  eat  in  a  day  if  its  food  consisted  entirely 
of  them.  It  is  therefore  injurious,  during  the  last  half  of 
May,  —  keeping  our  origuial  calculation  in  view,  —  698 
units. 

During  the  whole  month  of  June  and  the  first  half  of 
July,  while  its  family  are  in  the  nest,  it  is  at  least  doubly 
destructive ;  for  its  young  are  possessed  of  voracious  appe- 
tites, requiring  an  abundance  of  food  to  supply  them.  Al- 
lowing, then,  that  of  its  and  their  diet,  half  consists  of  insects 
during  this  period,  it  is  beneficial  about  forty-six  units ;  but. 
as  at  least  one-half  of  the  other  half  consists  of  young  birds 
and  eggs,  it  is  injurious,  during  the  same  period,  at  least  96 
units  daily,  or  4,320  units  for  June  and  the  first  half  of 
July.  The  remaining  quarter  of  its  and  their  food,  during 
this  time,  consists  of  berries  and  various  small  seeds  and 


f 


J 


-'iijJLKIjyfli  -■"■KSS 


% 


I 

I 


862 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


reptiles ;  and  this  diet  may  be  considered  as  of  neutral  im- 
portance, economically  speaking. 

During  the  last  half  of  July,  and  through  August  and 
the  first  half  of  September,  its  diet  consists  of  about  half 
insects  and  mice ;  and  the  balance,  of  berries  and  small 
fruits.  It  is  tl>erefore,  during  this  time,  beneficial  about 
thirty  units,  and  is  not  injurious,  otherwise  than  by  eating 
garden  fruits  or  grains,  —  items  that  I  do  not  consider  in 
tlie  present  discussion.  From  the  middle  of  September 
until  November,  its  food  loses  much  of  its  fruit  character, 
because  of  the  failure  of  supply,  and  it  feeds  at  least  two- 
thirds  on  insects  and  other  noxious  animals :  it  is  therefore 
beneficial  thirty  units,  and  is  not  injurious;  and,  during 
November  and  December,  it  is  beneficial  to  about  the  same 
extent  that  it  is  in  February  and  March,  or  about  forty 
units. 

We  have  now  but  to  condense  the  foregoing  results,  and 
•we  have,  in  the  aggregate,  the  sum  total  of  the  Crow's 
merits  and  demerits. 

We  find,  that,  during  the  whole  year,  it  is  beneficial  to  the 
amount  of  229  units,  and  that  it  is  injurious  to  the  extent 
of  4,918  units.  If,  for  the  sake  of  the  greatest  indulgence, 
we  take  but  one-fourth  of  this  enormous  disproportion  as 
the  actual  fact,  we  still  have  an  exhibit  that  proves  at  once 
that  these  birds  are  pot  only  wortliless,  but  are  ruinously 
destructive. 

In  presenting  this  extended  sketch,  I  will  say  that  I  am 
not  moved  in  the  least  by  prejudice  or  ill  feeling  for  a  much- 
disliked  bird,  but  that  I  state  the  facts  as  they  are,  and 
simply  to  throw  a  little  light  on  a  subject  that  has  given 
rise  to  much  discussion  and  controversy.  In  conclusion, 
I  virill  say  that  the  Jays  are  equally  injurious  with  the  Crows, 
and  that  they  are  not  deserving  of  a  moment's  indulgence 
or  protection  at  the  hands  of  the  ruralist. 


B  of  neutral  im- 

igh  August  and 
ts  of  about  half 
irries  and  small 

beneficial  about 
a  than  by  eating 

not  consider  in 
le  of  September 

fruit  character, 
)d3  at  least  two- 
5 :  it  is  therefore 
as ;  and,  during 

about  the  same 
I,  or  about  forty 

)ing  results,  and 
il  of  the  Crow's 

3  beneficial  to  the 
lus  to  the  extent 
latest  indulgence, 
disproportion  as 
it  proves  at  once 
ut  are  ruinously 

rill  say  that  I  am 
seling  for  a  much- 
as  they  are,  and 
it  that  has  given 
,  In  conclusion, 
IS  with  the  Crows, 
lent's  indulgence 


.jjigjl);- 


"<~«««i«ij(K,i 


\ 


y 


^' 


■fj^Ps\\\N^Nv  . 


■ 


» 


Fish  Citow,  Corvus  ossiftar/tcs.     Wilson, 


m    i»  ..^.JBa 


i 


s 


7* 


THE   FISH   CROW, 


363 


4 


4 


COBVUS  OSSIFRAanS.-FFt^ion. 

The  Fiah  Crow. 

CorwLi  o$tifragiu,  Wilson.  Am.  Orn.,  V.  (1812)  27.  Nutt.  Man.,  I.  (1832)  218. 
Aud.  Orn.  Biog.,  II.  (18.')4)  268;  Y.  479. 

Description. 

Fourth  quill  longest;  second  rather  longer  than  seventh;  first  shorter  than  the 
ninth;  glossy-black,  wi>'  green  and  violet  reflections;  the  gloss  of  the  belly 
greenish. 

In  this  species  the  bill  is  shaped  much  as  in  the  Common  Crow,  the  upper  outline 
perhaps  a  little  more  convex;  the  bristly  feathers  at  the  base  of  the  bill  reach 
nearly  half-way  to  the  tip;  I  find  no  bare  space  at  the  base  of  the  lower  mandible, 
although  tlie  feathers  are  not  quite  so  thick  there  as  in  tho  Common  Crow;  the 
tarsus  has  eight  transverse  scutelloe,  and  is  decidedly  shorter  than  the  middle  toe 
with  its  claw;  the  lateral  claws  do  not  reach  Mrithin  one-tenth  of  an  inch  of  the  base 
of  the  middle  claw. 

The  wings  are  long  and  acute;  the  fourth  is  longest;  next  the  third,  fifth,  second, 
and  sixth ;  the  first  is  about  as  long  as  the  secondaries. 

Length,  about  fifteen  and  fifty  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  ten  and  fifty  one- 
hundredths  inches;  tail  less  than  seven  inches;  tarsus  shorter  than  the  middle 
toe  and  claw. 

Hab.  —  Bouih  Atlantic  (and  Gulf?)  coast. 

This  bird  is  so  extremely  rare  in  New  England,  that  it 
can  be  regarded  only  as  an  occasional  straggler.  I  under- 
stand that  it  has  been  taken  on  Long  Island,  and,  on  one 
or  two  occasions,  in  Connecticut,  in  company  with  the  Com- 
mon Crow. 

Audubon  says  of  the  habits  of  this  species,  — 

"  While  on  the  St.  John's  River  in  Florida,  during  the  month  of 
February,  I  saw  flocks  of  Fish  Crows,  consisting  of  several  hun- 
dred individuals,  sailing  high  in  the  air,  somewhat  in  the  manner 
of  the  Raven.  These  aerial  excursions  would  last  for  hours, 
during  the  calm  of  a  fine  morning,  after  yrhich  the  whole  would 
descend  toward  the  water  to  pursue  their  more  usual  avocations  in 
all  the  sociability  of  their  nature.  When  tiieir  fishing,  which  lasted 
about  half  an  hour,  was  over,  they  would  alight  in  flocks  on  the 
live  oaks  and  other  trefes  near  the  shore,  and  there  keep  up  the|r 
gabble,  pluming  themselves  for  hours. 

"  The  nest  of  this  species  is  smaller  than  that  of  the  Common 
Crow,  and  is  composed  of  sticks,  moss,  and  grasses,  neatly  finished 


WljyJMMKijqMI 


jwiiiHiiiiimiaMiriffiiM 


mm 


864 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGT. 


or  lined  with  ftbrouB  roots.    The  eggs  are  from  four  to^six,  and 
resemble  those  of  the  American  Crow,  but  are  Bmuller. 

Two  eggs  in  my  collection,  from  Florida,  are  of  tho 
above  description,  and  are  almost  exactly  like  the  othors, 
measuring  a  little  smaller:  their  dimensions  bonig  1.00  by 
1.10  inch  and  1.52  by  1.04  inch. 


Sub-Family  Gakbdlin/e.  ■—  The  Jays. 

Win«  Aort.  rounded:  not  longer  or  much  shorter  than  the  tail,  which  is  grad- 
.J^^J^o.^^'^^y'o;  ^ng.  reaching  not  much  beyond  the  'o-r  t«. 
Lv«rt.    bri  t^v  leather,  at  ha«e  of  bill,  variable,  bill  nearly  aa  long  a.  th«  head,  or 
rrte";  utlLS  than  Uk  bill  or  than  the  middle  toe,  outer  lateral  cUw.  rather 
ihorter  than  the  inner. 

CYANURA,  SwAiNsoM. 
Cyanuru»,  Swa.sb<,«,  F.  Bor.  Am.,    T.  (1831)  495,  App.    (Type  Corn-  crutalu*, 

^'°Head  created,  wings  and  tail  blu«,  with  transverse  black  bars,  head  and  back 
of  the  samTco  or;  bill  rather  slender,  som  'u.t  broader  .l.an  high  at  tlje  base,  cul- 
men  aCtequal  to  the  head,  nostriU  largo,  nearly  circular,  concealed  by  bnstles , 
Tabtt  asTng  a.  the  wings,  lengti.ened,  graduated,  hind  claw  Urge,  longer  than 

**"  Th^culmen  is  straight  to  near  the  tip,  where  it  Is  gently  decurved,  the  gony.  is 
convex  at  the  base,  then  straight  and  ascending,  the  bill  has  a  very  shght  not^h  at 
rr  the  nostrils  are  large,  neariy  circular,  or  slightly  elliptical,  the  commissure 
s  strli^l  t  at  t^^^^  base,  then  bending  down  slightly  near  the  tip,  the  •«««  presen^;" 
s^Ial  peculiarities;  thee,  ,ton  the  head  consists  of  a  number  of  eIongated„..irrow. 
lanceolate  occipital  feathers. 

(JYAHUSCS  CHISTATUS.  —  Swniiwn. 

,    "^Tlis  Blue  Jay.  " 

CorfmcrUtalus,  UnnmuB.    Syst  Nat,  I.  (10th  ed.,  1758)  106. 
I.  (1808)  2.    Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  11.  (1884)  11 ;  V.  (mn)  «6. 
Cyanurui  crittatus,  Swainson.    F.  B 

r-        itlPTIOH. 

'  Crest  about  one-third  longer  th.  the  bill;  tail  much  ^ '^"f^'* '  K^""™;;;'"' 
abovriight  purplish-blue;  wing,  and  tail  feathers  ultramarine-bb-o ,  «>«  -econd""^ 
and  t^r^,  Jgreater  wing  coverts,  and  the  exposed  ■   rfcce  of  the  t«l,  sharply 


Wils.  Am.  Om., 


Am.,II.  (1881)  App.  406. 


i 


1  four  to  six,  and 
smivller." 

da,  are  of  the 
like  the  others, 
18  being  1.60  by 


Jays. 

,  the  tall,  which  is  grad- 
1  beyond  the  lower  tail 
an  long  as  the  head,  or 
iter  lateral  claws  rather 


(Type  Corvu*  cridtOut, 

ck  ban;  head  and  back 
an  high  at  the  base ;  cul- 
ar,  concealed  by  bristles; 
d  claw  large,  longer  than 

r  decurved ;  the  gonys  is 
as  a  very  slight  notch  at 
lliptical;  the  commisBura 
>  tip;  the  legs  present  no 
iber  of  elongated,  ,'jmow, 


58)  106.    Wils.  Am.  Om., 
I  App.  495. 

graduated;  general  color 
arine-btiie;  the  secondaries 
(   rface  of  the  tail,  sharply 


y.^AUMg" 


iiiiiliwilfiiiii  •ii'miiKi'fit'  •" 


•■wiaiwwn  ■ii>iail>Hi»iMl^w«iWMB»T»i  iniwiTHTin 


t 


BiXK  Jay,   Cynnurn  criMntn.     Swiiinson. 


■ 


••-^iaBMMlf  IMWMiWW  W'iW^M*'ft''M»  r»nw(il 


>^ 


i 


\ 


i 


i 

f 


m 


'  (\ 


i 


THE  BLUE  JAT. 


365 


banded  with  black,  and  broadly  tipped  with  white,  except  on  the  cenl.al  tail  feathers  ; 
beneath  white;  tinged  with  purplish-blue  on  the  throat,  and  ,vith  bluish-brown 
on  the  sides;  a  black  crescent  on  the  forepart  of  the  breast,  the  horns  passing  for- 
ward and  connecting  with  a  half-collar  on  the  back  of  the  neck ;  a  narrow  frontal 
line  and  loral  region  black;  feathers  on  the  base  of  the  bill  blue,  like  the  crown. 
Female  rather  duller  in  color,  and  a  little  smaller. 

Length,  twelve  and  tweaty-five  one-himdredths  inches;  wing,  five  and  sixty-five 
one-hundredths  inches;  tail,  five  and  seventy-five  one-hundiedtha  inches. 

This  beautiful  and  well-known  bird  is  abundantly  dis- 
tributed throughout  New  England.  It  is  less  common  in 
the  northern  than  in  the  southern  districts,  but  is  often  seen 
there,  not  in  company  with  the  Canada  Jay,  however. 

Its  food  is  more  varied  than  that  of  almost  any  other 
bird  that  we  have.  In  winter,  the  berries  of  the  cedar,  bar 
berry  or  black-thorn,  with  the  few  eggs  or  cocoons  of  in- 
sects that  it  is  able  to  find,  constitute  its  chief  sustenance. 
In  early  spring,  the  opening  buds  of  shrubs,  caterpillars, 
and  other  insects,  aflford  it  a  meagre  diet.  Later  in  the 
spring,  and  through,  the  greater  part  of  summer,  the  eggs 
and  young  of  the  smaller  birds  constitute  iia  chief  food, 
varieJ  by  a  few  insects  and  early  berries.  Later  in  the 
summer,  and  in  early  autumn,  berries,  small  fruits,  grains, 
and  a  few  insects,  afford  it  a  bountiful  provender ;  and  later 
in  the  autumn,  when  the  frosts  have  burst  open  the  burrs 
of  chestnuts  and  beechnuts,  and  exposed  the  brown,  ripe 
fruit  to  view,  these  form  a  palatable  and  acceptable  food : 
and  a  large  share  of  these  delicious  nuts  fall  to  the  portion 
of  these  busy  and  garrulous  birds. 

The  notes 'of  the  Blue  Jay  consist  of  a  shrill  cry,  like 
jay-jay-jay  repeated  often,  and  in  a  high  key;  a  slirill 
whistle  like  the  syllables  wheeo-wheeo-wheeo ;  a  hoarse 
rattle,  something  like  a  Kingfisher's  well-known  alarum; 
and  an  exceedingly  sweet  bell-like  note,  that  possesses  a 
mom-nful  tone,  like  that  of  a  far-ofif  hamlet  bell  tolling 
a  funeral  dii'ge. 

I  have  often  heard  this  tone  in  the  autumn,  when  the 
leaves  were  falling  from  the  trees,  and  all  nature  wore  its 


K''%^ 


T 


ggg  ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 

funeral  livery ;  and  it  seemed  to  me,  when  tlie  clear  notes  of 
the  bird  were  echoed  from  hill-side  to  hill-side  an  the  forest, 
that  it  was  wandering  like  a  forest  elf  through  the  trees, 
mourning  the  decay  of  all  the  charms  that  had  made  them 
so  beautiful  through  the  spring  and  summer. 

About  the  first  or  second  week  in  May,  the  Blue  Jay  com- 
mences building.    The  nest  is  usually  placed  in  a  fork  of  a 
low  pine  or  cedar,  in  a  retired  locality :   it  is  loosely  con- 
structed of  twigs  and  coarse  roots,  and  lined  with  the  same 
materials,  but  of  a  finer  quality,  and  sometimes  a  few  pieces 
of  moss  or  a  few  leaves.    The  eggs  are  four  or  five  m 
number.    Their  color  is  generally  light-green,  with  spots  of 
light-brown ;  sometimes  a  dirty  brownisli-gray,  spotted  with 
different  shades  of  brown  and  black.     The  dimensions  vary 
from  1.20  by  .85  to  1  by  .80  inch.    But  one  brood  is  reared 
in  the  season. 


VERISOREUS,  Bonaparte. 


(Type  Corvut  Cana- 


Perhorefu,  Bonapakte,  Saggio  di  una  dist.  met.  (1831). 

respects,  to  some  of  the  Titmice. 

HJaiSOEEtJS  CAHADBNSIS.— Bomipflrte. 
Tha  Canada  Jay. 
^      J     •    T  •  r,™,.     eiviit   Nat    I.  (1766)  158.    Wils.  Am.  Om.,  IIL 
(1811)  88.    Aud.  Orn.  Biog,  IL  (1884)  58;  V.  (1889)  208 

Pemore«.C«n<«fe««.,  Bonaparte.    List  (1888).    i6.,  Consp.  (1850)  875. 

Descriptios. 
n-  -I  ^A..t^H-  lateral  feathers  about  one  inch  shortest;  Tnngs  a  little  shorter 


r 


THE  CANADA  JAY. 


867 


\x  notes  of 
the  forest, 
the  trees, 
lade  them 

B  Jay  com- 
i  fork  of  a 
oosely  con- 
h  the  same 
few  pieces 
or  five  in 
th  spots  of 
potted  with 
tisions  vary 
)d  is  reared 


«  Corous  Cana- 

[  colore,  without 
in  high;  culsneu 
slightly  curved; 
(und,  covered  by 
■  short,  but  little 

ir  Jays.    It  has, 
Diblnnce,  in  many 


s.  Am.  Orn.,  ni. 

L850)  876. 


igs  a  little  shorter 
plumbeous  brown 

crown  to  the  back, 
upper  parts  ashy- 


plurabeons;  the  outer  primaries  margined:  the  secondaries,  tertiaia,  and  tail  featliera 
obscurely  tipped  with  white;  beneath  smoky-gray;  crisdum  whitish;  bill  and  feet 
black. 

The  young  of  this  species  are  ever)'where  of  a  dull  sooty-brown,  lighter  on  the 
middle  of  the  belly,  and  more  plumbeous  on  the  wings  and  tail ;  witli  incrcasinj; 
age,  the  region  about  the  base  of  the  bill  whitens,  and  this  color  gradually  extends 
backwards  until  the  whole  head,  excepting  tha  occiput  and  nape,  is  white;  thf 
under  parts  are  sometimes  whiter  than  in  the  typical  specimens. 

Length,  ten  and  seventy  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  five  and  seventy-five  ont 
hundredths  inches;  tail,  six  inches;  tarsus,  one  and  forty  one-hundredths  inches. 

This  species  is  confined  to  the  northern  districts  in  Ne^v 
England,  where  it  is  resident  through  the  year.  I  have 
not  been  so  fortunate  as  to  find  the  nest,  and  will  have  to 
borrow  Audubon's  description  of  that  and  the  eggs:  — 

"  The  Canada  Jay  breeds  in  Maine,  in  New  Brunswick,  Nova 
Scotia,  Newfoundland,  and  Labrador.  It  begins  as  early  as  Feb- 
ruary or  March  to  form  its  nest,  which  is  placed  in  the  thickest 
part  of  a  fir-tree,  near  the  trunk,  and  at  a  height  of  from  five  to 
ten  feet.  The  exterior  is  composed  of  dry  twigs,  with  moss  and 
grass ;  and  the  interior,  which  is  iJat,  is  formed  of  fibrous  root.^. 
The  eggs,  which  are  from  four  to  six,  are  of  a  light-gray  color, 
faintly  marked  with  brown." 

This  bird  is  not  generally  so  well  known  as  the  preceding. 
I  have  had  numerous  opportunities  for  observing  its  habits, 
and  I  can  positively  affirm  that  it  is  equally  rapacious  anl 
destructive  with  the  Blue  Jay,  which  it  resembles  in  motioiia 
and  cry. 

I  once  knew  of  a  single  pair  of  these  birds  destroying  the 
young  in  four  nests  of  the  Common  Snowbird  (J.  hyemalis) 
in  a  single  day,  I  found  these  nests  in  an  old  abandoned 
lumber-road  on  the  morning  of  June  20  :  in  the  afternoon, 
when  I  returned  through  the  same  path,  every  nest  was 
depopulated ;  and  a  pair  of  these  Jays  were  lurking  in  the 
trees,  shouting  defiance  at  us,  while  surrounded  by  the 
afflicted  Snowbirds;  that  were  uttering  their  cries  of  com- 
plaint and  sorrow.  I  emptied  both  barrels  of  my  gun  in 
the  direction  of  the  Jays,  and  I  am  inclined  to  think  that 


..^.^.......^....^....^^ 


868 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


they  have  killed  no  young  bird,  since.    The  familiarity  with 
which  this  species  fraternizes  with  man  in  the  woods  is 
interesting  and  amusing.    I  was  once  "  snowed  in,    as  the 
expression  is,  in  a  large  tract  of  forest,  and,  with  my  com- 
panions,  was  obliged  to  wait  until  the  storm  had  ceased 
before  we  could  resume  our  march.    We  remained  m  camp 
two  days.     A  pair  of  these  birds,  probably  with  young  in 
the  neighborhood,  visited  our  camp,  and  even  penetrated 
intx)  our  tent  for  crumbs  and  pieces  of  bread.    They  always 
flew  off  with  their  mouths  full,  and  soon  returned  for  more : 
their  visits  soon  get  to  be  any  thing  but  a  joke,  particulariy 
when  they  flew  off"  with  the  last  piece  of  our  soap.    We 
couldn't  kill  them,  however;  for  any  thing  with  life  was 
company,  and  we  felt  that  we  had  none  of  that  to  spare. 


NOTES. 

I  present  a  continuation  of  Mr.  Couper's  valuable  notes, 
taken  at  Quebec,  Lower  Canada,  on  the  species  described  m 
the  present  Order. 

TMCHILDS  COIitJBElS.  -Common  in  this  neighborhood  and  in  the 
mouJl  wi^'  and  savannas  north  of  the  city.  I  have  had  t^e  p  ea.ur^ 
of  finding  its  nest  on  more  than  one  occasion.  It  generally  arrives  here 
about  the  middle  of  May. 

CMTUEA  PELASGIA.-Very  abundant.    It  buUds  its  nest  m  unused 
CHaiTUEA  JibAS  ^^^kej  that  no  more  than  a  single  pair  will 

'=*"'""^y^^„l'\"7-,,iough    here  are  many  instances  here  of  chimneys 
occupy  a  flue    and   al&ougn  J  ^^^  ^  ^^^^  ^^^  .^  .^ 

having  ~J^f  l^iiThTve  noticeJ  this  species  flying  over  the  woods 
'Z;Z:Z'oX^^ ;  and  I  tun.  that  it  breeds  within  large  forest- 

*"  ASTBOSTOMUS  V0CIFEIMJS.-Thi8  bird  is  occasionally  heard  in  the 
n.oSs  noTof  Quebec.  It  is,  however,  very  rare  m  this  latitude, 
which  may  be  considered  its  northern  hmit. 

nononrTT  FS  POPETTJE  -  Very  common.    It  deposits  its  eggs  in  a  small 
f   „  r™d  In^^;  midst  of  a  woodland  clearing,  or  wherever  there 
rX^Z^^r;     Its  principal  food  in  spring  consist,  of  ants.    I  can- 
not  say  how  far  north  it  goe». 


HI 


■tWiJW^iiii  wwnmHwy.-Jf  iiw  iit  I 


N0TE8. 


369 


arity  with 
woods  ia 
ft,"  as  the 
,  my  com- 
ad  ceased 
d  in  camp 
young  in 
penetrated 
ley  always 
for  more : 
articularly 
Boap.    We 
h  life  was 
)  spare. 


table  notes, 
iescribed  in 


)d  and  in  the 
id  the  pleasure 
[y  arrives  hero 

nest  in  nnused 
single  pair  will 
re  of  chimneys 
while  one  is  in 
over  the  woods 
;hin  large  forest- 

y  he»rd  in  the 
in  this  latitude, 

8  eggs  in  a  small 
r  wherever  there 
1  of  ante.    I  can- 


CEBTLE  ALCYOH.  —  The  Kingfisher  occurs  about  all  our  northern  lakes 
and  rivers,  and  breeds  plentifully.  It  probably  extends  three  degrees  north 
of  Quebec. 

'i'YKAHHUS  CABOLINEHSIS.  —  Common.  It  builds  ito  nest  invariably 
near  farm-houses. 

CONTOPUS  VIRENS. — I  detected  this  species  here  this  spring  for  the  fjst 
dme.    I  do  not  think  it  breeds  commonly  in  high  latitudes. 

EMFinONAX  TBAIIiLII.  —  This  species  occurs  during  summer  in  the 
woodlands  near  Quebec.  It  rarely  builds  ite  nest  high  from  the  ground.  It 
is  extremely  cunning,  and  invariably  seleote  the  most  hidden  portion  of  a 
clump  of  bushes. 

TDBDUS  PALIiASn.  —  This  thrush  breeds  in  the  neighborhood  of  Quebec ; 
but  it  is  not  common.  It  builds  its  nest  much  higher  than  Wilson's  Thrush ; 
that  is  to  say,  the  latter  is  generally  found  concealed  at  the  lower  portion 
of  a  bush,  while  the  former  is  often  found  on  a  heafily  branched  pine-tree 
The  eggs  of  T.  paUasii  are  blue  and  spotted.  1 

TUBDUS  FUSCliSCENS.  —  This  is  one  of  our  most  common  thrushes.  It 
breeds  plentifully  in  this  neighborhood.  Its  nest  is  generally  placed  near  the 
ground,  at  the  lower  portions  of  bushes  growing  near  a  swamp  or  river.  The 
eggs  are  generally  four  or  five,  of  a  clear  greenish-blue  color. 

SIALIA  SIALIS.  — The  Redbreasted  Bluebird  is  only  seen  here  early  in 
spring,  while  on  ite  passage  to  the  West.  It  does  not  breed  in  Lower 
Canada. 

BEOULUS  CALENDULA.  — This  species,  in  company  with  R.  satrapa,  visit 
this  locality,  from  the  North,  in  the  autumn. 

AHTHTJS  LUDOVICUHUS.  — Common  in  the  autumn.  They  frequent 
fields  and  barnyards,  and  are  generally  in  flocks.  I  think  they  breed  in 
Labrador. 

HNIOTILTA  VABIA.  —This  species  is  not  common  in  our  Northern  woods. 
It,  however,  breeds  in  the  neighborhood  of  Quebec. 

GEOTHLYPia  TEICHAS.  — Very  common.    Breeds. 

SEIDBDS  AUBOCAPILLUS.  — Common.    Breeds. 

DEHDEOICA  VIEENS.  —  Only  noticed  in  spring,  on  ite  way  North.  It  was 
rather  common  in  the  spring  of  1866. 

DENDBOICA  CANADESSIS.  —  Common.    Breeds. 

DEHSBOICA  COBOHATA.  — Very  common  in  the  autumn.  I  think  they 
breed  far  north. 

DENDBOICA  BLACKSUBNLB.  — This  beautiftil  Warbler  was  very  abun- 
dant here  last  spring.    None  of  the  young  returned  this  way.    There  appears 

I  Mr.  Couper  undoubtedly  refers  to  T.  (SicairMionn.  —  E.  A.  S. 
24 


fSfitMH''^ 


^»<^i^,ii^M-!mMmimim*i<iff^''i'<«»^>'»i*'''  '■' 


370 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


to  be  gome  mygtery  connected  with  the  breeding  localities  of  many  of  our 
Warblers.  Some  of  them  are  found  breeding  over  the  whole  of  temperate 
America,  while  others,  who  evidently  eat  the  same  kinds  of  food,  pass  to' 
the  inaccessible  parts  of  the  northern  forests,  where  the  foot  of  man  never 
trod. 

DEHOBOICA  OASTAHEA.  — This  is  another  of  tlie  mysterious  Warblers 
that  shows  itself  in  spring,  and  afterwards  slowly  departs  to  its  nortliera 
hermitage. 

DEHDSOIOA  PINUS.  —  Spring.   Not  common.   Follows  its  kindred.  North. 

DEHOSOIOA  FESNSTLVANICA. — Not  common.    Breeds. 

DEHDSOICA  CfSULEA,  —  This  species  was  very  common  in  thio  neigh- 
borhood in  the  spring  of  1866.    I  have  never  seen  its  nest  or  eggs. 

OENDBOICA  STBIATA.  —  Not  common.    Breeds. 

SENDBOICA  fSTrVA.  —  Common.    Breeds. 

SEITOBOICA  MACULOSA.  —  Common.    Breeds. 

MTIODIOCTES  CAHADENSIS.— Common.    Breeds. 

SETOPHAOA  BUnCILLA.  —  Common.    Breeds. 

FTBANOA  BtlBEA.  — Rarely  seen  in  the  woods  north  of  Quebec.  They 
breed  in  the  maple  woods ;  and  this  latitude  may  be  consiJcied  itti  northern 
limit  of  migration. 

HIBUHSO  HOBBEOBUH.  —  Uncommon.  It  builds,  its  nest  on  the  beams 
of  out-houses  and  bams  in  this  neighborhood. 

H.  IttTRIFBONS.  —  Very  common.  It  builds  mud  or  clay  nests  under  the 
thatched  bams  and  country-houses  near  Quebec.  They  are  protected  by 
farmers,  who  will  not  allow  them  to  be  disturbed  during  their  stay  here. 
They  return  annually  to  the  old  nests,  which  they  repair. 

H.  BICOLOB.  —  Common.  It  builds  its  nest  in  any  hole  it  may  find  in 
the  houses  in  the  city.  In  the  woodland  districts,  it  generally  selects  an 
abandoned  Woodpecker's  nest  in  trees. 

COTTIiE  BIPABIA.  —  Common.   Breeds  in  every  sand-bank  in  the  country. 

PBOONE  PUBPDBEA.  —  The  breeding-place  of  this  Swallow  is  confined  to 
a  building  called  the  Jesuit  Barracks,  of  this  city,  where  they  raise  theur 
young  every  season.  I  have  repeatedly  tried  to  induce  them  to  occupy 
boxes,  but  the  White-bellied  Swallow  always  took  poseession  first.  In  this 
locality,  the  Purple  Martin  loves  its  own  community,  and  will  not  be  induced 
to  occupy  the  most  tempting  abode  unless  made  sufiiciently  large  to  accom^ 
modate  several  pairs. 

AMPELIS  OABBTTLTJS.  —  Duriug  severp  winters,  this  species  arrives  here 
from  the  north  to  fjed  on  the  berries  of  the  mountain-ash,  which  grows 


i 


of  many  of  our 
lie  of  temperate 
}f  food,  paaa  to' 
>t  of  man  never 

rioui  Warblers 
to  its  northern 

kindred,  North. 

1  in  thio  neigh* 
eggs. 


Quebec.    They 
i-ed  itu  northern 


It  on  the  beams 

nests  under  the 
ire  protected  by 
their  stay  here. 

B  it  may  find  in 
>rally  selects  an 

ik  in  the  country. 

)w  is  confined  to 
they  raise  their 
them  to  occupy 
in  first.  In  this 
U  not  be  induced 
large  to  accom- 

siee  arrives  here 
Bh,  which  grows 


I 


NOTES. 


871 


abundantly  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  city.  They  go  in  flocks.  They 
must  breed  late  in  the  aew  n,  as  I  had  the  young  with  the  downy  feathers 
attached  to  their  heads  during  the  depth  of  winter. 

AHPELIS  CESBOSUU.  —  Common.    Breeds. 

COLLTBIO  BOREALIS.  —  Arrives  early  in  Spring.  I  think  they  go  to 
high  latitudes  to  breed.  The  specimens  which  I  procure  are  either  in  spring 
or  fall  plumage. 

TDtEO  OLIVAOEUS.  —  Not  common.    Breeds. 

HIMITS  0AB0LIHENSI3.— Not  common.    Breeds. 

TBOQLODTTES  HTEMAUS.  — Common.    Breeds. 

CEBTHIA  AUEBICANA.  — Common.    Breeds. 

SITTA  CAN AOEHSIS.  —  Common  in  summer  and  winter.    Breeds. 

PABUS  ATBIOAPILtUS.  — Common.    Breeds. 

P.  HDDSONICnS.  —  Arrives  about  the  middle  of  September  fi:om  the 
North,  and  remains  until  the  snow  falls.  It  has  not  t)een  found  breeding  in 
this  locality.    They  go  in  flocks,  like  the  former  species. 

EBEltOPHILA  COBNUTA.  —  This  Lark  arrives  here  in  the  month  of  Sep- 
tember. It  gathers  in  flocks,  which  remain  until  the  snow  falls.  It  breeds 
in  Labrador.      ,' 

PINICOLA  OAVAOENSIS.  —  Arrives  from  the  North,  sometimes  in  com- 
pany with  the  Bohemian  Waxwing,  and  feeds  on  the  same  berries.  They 
firequently  remain  during  winter. 

OABFODACTTS  PUBPUBEUS.  —  Common.    Breeds. 

OHBTSOMITBIS  TBISTIS.  —  Common.    Breeds. 

0.  PIHUS.  —  Sometimes  common  in  winter. 

CDBVIBOSTBA  AUEBICAHA.  — 'Sometimes  very  abunWt  in  winter.  I 
am  told  it  breeds  in  Nova  Scotia. 

0.  LEUCOPTEBA.  — Very  numerous  during  winter.    Breeds  in  Labrador. 

XGIOTHnS  LINARIA.  —  Common  in  the  iall.  Breeds  in  Labrador  and 
Northern  Newfoundland. 

PIiEOTBOPHAITES  UTTAUS.  —  Common  in  winter.    Breeds  in  Labrador. 

POOCJfGTES  GBAMINEUS.  —  Common.    Breeds. 

ZONOTRICHIA  LEUCOPHBTS.— Common.    Breeds. 

Z.  AIiBICOLLIS.  — Qommon.    Breeds. 

JUKCO  HTEMALIS.  —  Common.    Breeds. 

SPIZELLA  MONTIOOLA.  —  This  species  goes  far  north  to  breed,  probably 
Labrador.    It  returns  in  the  fall. 


1 


.0mm 


agaRB 


872 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


i    s 


S.  800IA11S.  —  Common.    Breed*. 
MZLOSPIZA  MELODIA.  — Common.    Breeds. 

M.  PALUSTWS.  —  Not  common  here ;  but  it  breeds  In  some  of  the  south- 
ern towns  of  Lower  Canada. 

PASSEWILLA  ILIACA.  -Not  common.    Breeds.   I  tUnk  that  this  specie, 
is  more  abundant  in  Labrador  during  summer. 

GDIBACA  LUDOYICIAUA. -Not  common.  Breeds.  Quebec  may  be  con- 
sidered  its  northern  limit. 

CYAHOSPIZ A  CYAHEA. — Not  common.    Breeds. 

DOLICHONYX  OBYZIVORUS.  -  Common.  Breeds.  This  is  the  most 
northern  limit  of  tiiis  species. 

AOELAIUS  PH(EHICBUS.-This  specie,  is  a  very  rare  visitor  in  thiB 
neighborhood,  and  is  seen  only  in  the  spring,  when  on  ,U  passage  to  the 
swamps  in  the  West.    It  breeds  abmidanUy  at  Toronto.  Upper  Canada. 

8C0LEC0PHAQDS  FEEEUOINEUS.  -  Very  common  in  the  fall,  at  which 
season  they  visit  this  locality  on  their  passage  south.  Great  numbers  are 
shot,  and  sold  like  game  in  our  markets.  This  species  has  been  noti^d  here 
as  late  as  the  24th  of  May,  when  it  disappears.  It  has  not  been  found  breed- 
ing within  the  habitable  portions  of  this  province. 

aUISCALDS  VEESICOLOB.-Kare  in  this  district.  A  few  pairs  have 
been  discovered  breeding  at  Three  Rivers,  between  this  city  and  Montreal. 

COEVUS  AMEEICAHUS.- Common.  Breeds  in  krge  numbers.  A  few 
oenerally  remain  here  during  winter.  They  feed  on  the  hemes  of  the 
mountain  ash.  The  old  nests  are  invariably  occupied,  and  the  birds  lay 
Teir  eggs  very  early.  I  have  seen  the  young  ones  fully  fledged  before  the 
24th  of  May. 

COEVTJS  CAEHIVOBUS.  -  Occasionally  seen  in  this  district.  It  breeds  on 
the  high,  rocky  portions  of  islands  in  the  lower  St.  Lawrence. 

CYAHTJEA  CEISTAT  A.— Abundant  in  the  mountains  north  of  this  city, 
where  they  breed. 

PEEISOEEUS  CANADEHSI8.  -  Sometimes  very  nommon  in  t.ie  fall.  1 
have  not  noticed  this  bird  in  the  vicinity  of  Quebec  during  summer ;  but, 
while  on  a  collecting  trip  down  the  St.  Lawrence,  in  the  month  of  July  I 
saw  numbers  of  the  old  and  young  in  the  woods,  at  a  place  called  Mil  e 
Vaches  They  were  following  each  other  in  one  direction,  and  appeared  to 
le  to  have  habits  similar  to  those  of  the  Black-cap  Titmouse.  From  this 
feet  of  its  occurrence  on  the  north  shore  of  the  St.  Lawrence  at  the  above 
season,  H  is  evident  that  they  breed  in  our  wild,  unfrequented  fores  J  such 
as  may  be  found  north  and  east  of  the  river  Saguenay.  I  have  offered  a 
lugh  price  for  the  nests  and  eggs  of  the  Canada  Jay;  but,  as  yet,  nothmg  of 
the  kind  has  appeared. 


of  the  aouth- 
,t  this  Bpedea 
may  b©  con- 
is  the  most 

'isitor  in  this 
assage  to  the 
ler  Canada. 

fall,  at  which 

numbers  are 

1  noticed  here 

1  found  breed- 

w  pairs  have 
nd  Montreal. 

abers.  A  few 
berries  of  the 
the  birds  lay 
^d  before  the 

,    It  breeds  on 

Ji  of  this  city, 

in  tiie  fall.  I 
■  summer ;  but, 
onth  of  July,  I 
ce  called  Mille 
id  appeared  to 
ise.  From  this 
e  at  the  above 
ed  forests,  such 
[  have  offered  a 
yet,  nothing  of 


V 


r 
1 


I 

1 


i 


^r^-: 


WiM)    I'KiKON,    /']rl(>pistts  uii;/inlnriii.      SwaiiiMtii. 


TUB   WILD  PIGEON. 


878 


SUB-ORDER  COLUMBiE. 


The  b(u«I  portion  of  the  bill  covered  by  a  wft  skin,  In  which  »re  situated  the 
noitrlls,  overhung  by  an  incuni'>ent  fleihy  valve,  the  apical  portion  hard  and  con- 
vex; the  hind  toe  on  the  eame  level  with  the  rest;  the  anterior  toe  without  mem- 
brane at  the  ba«e;  Urai  more  or  leas  naked;  covered  laterally  and  behind  with 
hexagonal  aoales. 

Familt  COLUMBIDiE.    The  Doves. 

Bill  homy  at  the  tip;  tail  feather*  twelve,  only  occaaionally  foortwn;  he«d 
■mooth. 

Sub-Family  CoLUMBiNiB. 

* 
Tarei  atont,  abort,  with  transverse  acutellse  anteriorly;  feathered  for  the  baaal 
third  above,  but  not  at  all  behind;  toes  lengthened,  the  lateral  decidedly  longer  than 
the  Uraua;  winga  lengthened  and  pointed;  aire  large;  Uil  feathera  twelve. 

Thia  eeotion  of  doves  embraces  the  Urgest  North-American  species,  and  among 
them  the  more  arboreal  onea. 


ECT0PI8TES,  SwAWBOK. 

Ectopiita,  SwAi»80»,  Zool.  Jour.,  HI.  (1827)  382.  (Type  Columba  nUgratoria,  L.) 
Head  very  small;  bill  short,  black;  culmen  one-third  the  rest  of  the  head;  taral 

very  short,  half  covered  anteriorly  by  leathers;  inner  lateral  claw  much  larger  than 

outer,  reaching  to  the  base  of  the  middle  one;   tail  very  long  and  excesaively 

cuneate;  about  as  long  as  the  wings;  Brst  primary  longest 

This  genus  Is  readily  distinguished  from  the  other  CWumWfUB  by  the  excesaively 

lengthened  and  acute  middle  feathers.    It  formerly  Included  the  Columba  Caroli. 

nefuu;  but  this,  with  more  propriety,  has  been  erected  Into  a  different  genus,  and 

will  ))•  found  in  the  next  section. 

ZCnOPISTZS  laORATOlUA.  — SwaitWfM. 

Th*  Wild  PigMit;  PMHBger  FiKeon. 

Columba  migraioria,  I,inn«Eus.    Syst.  Nat,  I.  (1760)  286.    Wils.  Am.  Ore.,  I 
(1808)  102.    Aud.  Cm.  Biog.,  I.  (1881)  319;  V.  661. 

Ectopitta  migraioria,  Swainson.    Zool.  Jour.,  Ill;  (1827)  855. 

Descwptioh. 
Tail  with  twelve  feathers;  upper  parts  generally,  including  sides  of  body,  head, 
and  neok,  and  the  chin,  blue;  beneath,  purple  brownish-red,  fading  behind  with  a 


td 


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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


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I. 


22 
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1.4    ill  1.6 


Photographic 

Sciences 
Coiporation 


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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  NY.  I4S80 

(716)  872-4503 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  canadien  de  microreproductions  historiques 


374 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


violet  tint;  anal  region  and  under  tail  coverts,  bluish-white;  scapulars,  inner  tertials, 
and  middle  of  back,  with  an  olive-brown  tinge ;  the  wing  coverts,  scapulars,  and  inner 
terUals,  with  large  oval  spots  of  blue-black  on  the  outer  webs,  mostly  concealed,  except 
on  the  latter;  primaries  blackish,  with  a  border  of  pale-bluish  tinged  internally  with 
red;  middle  tail  feathers  brown;  the  rest  pale-blue  on  the  outer  web,  white  inter- 
nally;  each  with  a  patch  of  reddish-brown  at  the  base  of  the  inner  wgb,  followed  by 
another  of  black;  sides  and  back  of  neck  richly  glossea  with  metallic  golden-violet; 
tibia  bluish-violet;  billbL'ck;  feet  yellow. 

The  female  is  smaller;  much  duller  in  color;  more  olivaceous  above;  beneath, 
pale-blue  instead  of  red,  except  a  tinge  on  the  neck;  the  jugulum  tinged  with 
olive;  the  throat  whitish.  ' 

The  blue  of  the  side  of  the  head  extends  to  the  throat  and  chin;  the  upper  part 
of  the  back  and  lesser  coverts  are  of  a  darker  blue  than  the  head  and  rump;  the 
inner  primaries  are  more  broadly  margined  with  light-blue,  which  tapers  off  to 
the  end;  the  axillars  and  under  surface  of  the  wing  are  light-blue;  the  longest 
scapulars  have  the  black  on  both  w-bs;  there  is  no  blue  on  the  outer  web  of  tiie  first 
taU  feather,  which  is  white,  and  tiie  inferior  surikce  of  the  tail  generally  is  white. 

In  some  specimens  the  entire  head  all  round  is  blue. 

The  immature  male  varies  in  having  most  of  the  feathers  of  the  head  and  body 
margined  with  whitish. 

Length  of  male,  seventeen  inches;  wing,  eight  and  fifty  one-hundredths  inches ; 
tail,  eight  and  forty  one-hundredths  inches. 

THIS  bird  has  become  of  late  years  rather  scarce  in 
New  England ;  so  much  so,  that,  in  localities  where  it 
was  formerly  abundant,  it  is  now  seen  only  occasionally  in 
small  flocks  of  a  dozen  or  fifteen.  It  is  a  resident  of  these 
States  through  a  greater  part  of  the  year ;  only  absenting 
itself  in  the  most  severe  portion  of  winter,  when  its  figbd  is 
usually  covered  with  snow.  It  depends  principally  upon 
acorns  and  beechnuts  for  subsistence,  and  ie  most  abundant 
in  localities  where  these  nuts  are  found.  It  also  frequents 
grain-fields,  where  it  gleans  among  the  stubble  and  weeds ; 
and,  when  berries  are  in  season,  it  feeds  plentifully  upon 
them,  and  it  is  at  that  time  when  the  greater  number  are 
seen  in  New  England. 

Early  in  May,  the  birds,  although  associating  still  in  com- 
munities, as  in  sections  where  they  are  more  abundant, 
separate  into  pairs,  and  build  their  nest.  This  is  placed  in 
a  forked  branch  of  a  tree,  usually  in  a  swamp  or  thick 
wood.  It  is  constructed  of  twigs  and  leaves,  which  are 
loosely  arranged  into  a  fraU  structure  hardly  strong  enough 


,  inner  tertials, 
liars,  and  inner 
icealed,  except 
internally  with 
lb,  white  inter- 
jb,  followed  by 
golden-violet; 

i)ove;  beneath, 
m  tinged  with 

the  upper  part 
and  rump;  the 
tapers  off  to 
le;  the  longest 
web  of  the  first 
lly  is  white. 

bead  and  body 

diedths  inches; 


:  scarce  m 
38  where  it 
isionally  in 
nt  of  these 
J  absenting 
L  its  £fbd  is 
pally  upon 
it  abundant 

0  frequents 
and  weeds ; 
;ifully  upon 
lumber  are 

itill  in  com- 

1  abundant, 
is  placed  in 
ap  or  thick 

which  are 
ong  enough 


THE   CAROLINA   DOVE. 


875 


to  support  the  parent  bird :  it  is  but  very  little  hollowed, 
and  has  no  lining  of  softer  material.  The  female  deposits 
in  this  one  or  two  eggs,  on  which  both  birds  incubate. 
These  eggs  are  pure-white  in  color,  nearly  oval  in  form,  and 
have  the  slightest  roseate  tint  before  their  contents  are 
removed :  they  average  in  dimensions  about  1.54  by  1.10 
inch.  Many  writers  affirm  that  but  one  egg  is  laid  at 
a  time.  I  think  that  in  the  greater  number  of  nests  two 
are  deposited,  as  I  have  inquired  of  many  hunters  and 
woodsmen,  and  they  all  agree  on  that  number. 


Sub-Family  ZENAiniKiE. 

Tarsi  stout,  lengthened;  alwaj's  longer  than  the  lateral  toes,  and  entirely  with- 
out feathers;  the  tibial  joint  usually  denuded;  tarsus  sometimes  with  hexagonal 
Bcales  anteriorly;  tail  feathers  sometimes  fourteen. 

ZEISTAIDURA,  Bonapartb. 

Zenaidara,  Bonapartb,  Consp.  Avium,  II.  (1864)  84.  (Type  Cohmba  Caroli- 
nentit,  L.)    Probably  named  previously  in  Comptes  Rendus. 

Bill  weak,  black;  culmen  from  frontal  feathers,  about  one-third  the  head  above; 
tarsus  not  quite  as  long  as  middle  toe  and  claw,  but  considerably  longer  than  the 
lateral  mes;  covered  anteriorly  by  a  single  series  of  scutellse;  inner  lateral  claw 
considerably  longer  than  outer,  and  reaching  to  the  base  of  middle;  wings  pointed, 
second  quill  longest,  first  and  third  nearly  equal;  tail  very  long,  equal  to  the  wings; 
excessively  graduated  and  cuneate,  of  fourteen  feathers. 

The  fourteen  tail  feathers  render  this  genus  very  conspicuous  among  the  North- 
American  doves.  It  was  formerly  placed  with  the  Passenger  Pigeon  in  Ectopittet, 
but  has  nothing  in  common  with  it  but  the  lengthened  tail,  as  it  belongs  to  a  differ- 
ent Bub-family. 

ZEHAIOUBA   CAROUNliBSIS.— £ort(^r<«. 
^  The  Ctrolina  Dove ;  Turtle  Dore. 


CWumJfl  CaroRneniu,  Linnseus.  Syst.  Nat,  I.  (1766),  286,  No.  8T.  Wils.  Am. 
Orn.,  v.  (1812)  01.  Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  I.  (1881)  91;  V.  (1889)  656.  Nutt  Man.,  I. 
(1882)  626. 

Ztnaiditra  CaroUntntu,  Bonaparte.    Consp.  Av.,  II.  (1854)  34. 

Descriptiom. 
Tail  feathers  fourteen;  above  bluish,  although  this  is  overlaid  with  light  brown- 
nh-olive,  leaving  the  blue  pure  only  on  the  top  of  the  head,  the  exterior  of  the 


■  ■<sy:,)','.fi!ir''"' 


I 


876  ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 

^        f  »h.  ♦«!  which  is  even  slightly  tinged  with  this  color-, 
winga,  ana  npper  surface  of  the  t«  •  jl"«^  «  «  «     ^  ^^^  underparts  general- 

the  entire  head,  except  the  vertex,  ^^ Y'^"' •^^J^,;'  „„  \he  breast,  becoming  lighter 
ly,  light  brownish-red,  strongly  ^^^f  *  ^'^/^Xe  ^nal  region,  Ubia,  and  under  tail 
^hind,  and  passing  into  ^^»7"''^^f  Trumc  ZpUsh-red ;  sides  of  body  and 

eoverts,  "^-"f  f  "thrbl^-'wii  irerind  s^^^^^  spotted  with  blaC. 
inside  of  wings  clear  light-blue,  wing  c  ^^.^  ^^^^^^  ^^^ 

mostly  concealed  and  an  oblong  patch  ojj^-- J-  ^^  „,,,„  ,  ,  .uh  the 
from  below  blackish,  the  outer  ^^^^  «'  j^    innermost,  which  is  brown; 

same,  the  color  becoming  more  ««d  more  M  U.  _^^^^  .^  ^^^^  ^.p^. 

seen  from  above,  there  is  ^^e  «ame  g-d-^^^^^^ 

Sir^-r^:^Hrs-t^ 

-:-^^  ^r  Ti5r^=thes,  wing..eand 

floTks  of  five  or  six  individuals,  which  frequent  old  stubbly 
fields  and  orchards,  v  here  they  feed  on  scattered  grains  and 
the  seeds  of  various  weeds.  They  also  sometimes  associate 
"mestic  doves  in  the  poultry  yard,  as  I  have  witnessed 

^Tout^trSe  of  May,  they  separate  into  pairs,  and 
commence  their  duties  of  incubation.  The  nest  is  placed  m 
:Tked  horizontal  branch  of  a  tree,  sometimes  in  the 
u  I  L^iallv  in  a  grove  of  pines  or  in  a  swamp.  It  is, 
r'ihe  neT^f^^^^  Wd  Pigeon,  a  loose,  frail  structure  m 
twcrthelmale  deposits  two  eggs,  which  are  pure-white 
^n  color,  and  usually  nearly  oval  m  form. 

It-eat  number  of  specimens  in  my  collection  from  drf- 
fertnfparts  of  the  country,  vary  from  1.20  by  85  to  ^98  by 
82  inch.    The  size  most  often  found  is  about  1.12  by  .80 
inch     Two  broods  are  reared  in  the  season. 

About  the  last  of  July,  the  old  birds  and  young  collect  m 
flotks,  aud  frequent  grain-fields,  where  tiiey  feed  upon  the 


*\ 


th  this  color; 
parts  general- 
oming  lighter 
and  under  tail 
IS  of  body  and 
;d  with  black, 
il  feathers  seen 
ipped  with  the 
hich  is  brown ; 
lue  in  the  tips; 
to  the  light  tip, 
>r;  in  the  sixth 
ithoutbar;  bill 

wing,  fiTe  and 
iches. 

distributed 
ent.     It  is 
than  in  the 
It  arrives 
the  10th  of 
small,  loose 
old  stubble- 
i  grains  and 
les  associate 
,ve  witnessed 

to  pairs,  and 
t  is  placed  in 
times  in  the 
?amp.  It  is, 
structure,  in 
re  pure-white 

tion,  from  dif- 
'  .85  to  .98  by 
ut  1.12  by  .80 

)ung  collect  in 
feed  upon  the 


THE  CABOLINA   DOVE. 


871 


pain,  and  ^""^'P*';-.  jf^^^ Jl^.T-,  1 
ra:«S.Turer:;;;»Zth.^n.eco.e.e. 

i^uiiiig  mo  =>  «    mplancholv  cooing  note,  wlucn 

bation,  the  male  has  a  ^^'^^^X^g  the  remainder  of 
he  utters  often  through  the  ^^y-J'^^^fi,,,^  matched  indi- 
^t  =  :=:l'/^e.  .ea^^^^^^^^^  en.. 

England  on  its  southern  migration. 


Si' 


V 


TJBRKI 


878 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


SUB-ORDER  GALLINiE. 


Bill  usually  rather  short  and  stout,  and  less  than  the  head;  hasal  portion  hard, 
generally  covered  with  feathers,  and  not  by  a  soft  naked  skin;  legs  lengthened; 
the  hind  toe  generally  elevated  above  the  level  of  the  rest,  and  short;  when  lower 
down,  it  is  longer;  toes  connected  at  the  base  by  a  membrane;  the  feathers  of  fore- 
head not  extending  on  the  culmen  in  a  point,  but  more  restricted,  and  parted  by  the 
backward  extension  of  the  culmen. 


Family  TETRAONID^.    The  Gbousb. 

The  TetraonidcB  are  pre-eminently  characterized  among  gallinaceous  birds  by 
their  densely  feathered  tarsi,  and  by  the  feathers  of  the  nasal  fossa  or  groove,  which 
fill  it  completely,  and  conceal  the  nostrils;  the  toes  are  usually  naked  (feathered 
to  the  claws  in  the  ptarmigans),  and  with  pectinations  of  scales  along  the  edges  ; 
the  tail  feathers  vary  from  sixteen  to  eighteen  and  even  twenty  in  number;  the 
tail  is  rounded,  acute  or  forked;  the  orbiul  region  is  generally  somewhat  bare, 
with  •  naked  stripe  above  the  upper  eyelid,  beset  by  short  fringe-like  processes. 

TETRAD,  LiNNAHS. 

Tetrao,  Limn^us,  Syst.  Nat.  (1744)  Gray.    (Type  T.  urogaUui,  L.) 
Tail  lengthened,  slightly  narrowed  to  the  square  or  somewhat  rounded  tip;  about 
two-thirds  the  wing;  the  feathers  with  stiffened  shafts;  tarsus  feathered  to  and 
between  the  bases  of  the  toes;  no  unusual  feathers  on  the  side  of  throat;  culmen 
between  the  nasal  fossa  nearly  half  the  total  length;  color  mostly  black. 
Inhabit  wooded  regions. 


T£TBAO  CANADENSIS. -JUnnonu. 

The  Canada  Orousa ;  Spruoe  Partridge. 

Teh-ao  Canaderuit,  Linnaus.  Syst  Nat,  I.  (1768)  274.  Nutt.,  Man.  I.  (1882) 
687.    Aud.  Cm.  Biog.,  II.  (1834)  487;  V.  (1889)  688. 

Description. 

Tail  of  sixteen  feathers;  feathers  above  distinctly  banded  with  plumbeous; 
beneath  uniform  black,  with  a  pectoral  band  of  white,  and  white  on  the  sides  of  the 
belly;  chin  and  throat  above  black;  tail  with  a  broad  brownish-orange  terminal 
band. 

Prevailing  color  in  the  male  black;  each  feather  of  the  head,  neck,  and  upper 
parts  generally,  having  its  surface  waved  with  plumbeous-gray;  this  is  in  the 
form  of  two  or  three  well-deflned  concentric  bars,  parallel  to  each  other,  one  along 
the  exterior  edge  of  the  feather,  the  others  behind  it;  the  sides  of  the  body,  the 


If*! 


;  basal  portion  hard, 
in;  legs  lengthened; 
4  short;  when  lower 
the  feathers  of  fore- 
id,  and  parted  by  the 


lOUSB. 

gallinaceous  birds  by 
•ssa  or  groove,  which 
ally  naked  (feathered 
les  along  the  edges  ; 
jnty  in  number;  the 
rally  somewhat  bare, 
e-like  processes. 


lUm,  L.) 

!it  rounded  tip;  about 
lus  feathered  to  and 
le  of  throat;  culmea 
tly  black. 


STutt.,  Man.  I.  (1882) 


M  with  plumbeous; 
te  on  the  sides  of  the 
nish-orange  terminal 

lead,  neck,  and  upper 
gray;  this  is  in  the 
iach  other,  one  along 
ides  of  the  body,  the 


BMIMMMRO*-*-' 


i^ 


Itt'. 


?,!#•:■ 


i 


* 


)}■ 


r 


Hi^ 


THE  CANADA  0H0U8B. 


379 


..puUr..  and  outer  .urf.ce  of  the  w.n«...m2^ 

fr:.trun"L  r.  t:.  fe.the™  of  .h.  .ae.  of  the  .....  aua  hre«t  h.a    X 
.cro..  the   «•  '  ;-;'^^*;  ^*';;i,.  ',„j  /^^ite  lino  be«inning  on  tho  choek,,  and 

"^SMixtltd"":!*.  one-hundredth,  i.che.,  wing,  .ix  and  .eventy  on. 
hundredth.;  Uil,  five  and  forty-four  hundredth,  inches. 

TT  is  only  in  the  most  retired  and  unsettled  localities  in 
i   northern  New  England  that  this  very  beautiful  grouse  is 
found     There,  in  the  spruce  and  pine  woods  and  swaionps, 
it  is  not  uncommon  as  a  resident  through  the  year.    I  have 
shot  specimens  in  the  White  fountains    between  what  is 
called  Waterville,  a  hamlet  in  Thornton,  N.H.,  and  Bethl^ 
hem,  in  the  same  State ;  but  they  are  more  commonly  found 
in  the  localities  above  mentioned..    In  its  native  haunts,  it 
is  very  unsuspicious,  permitting  a  person  to  walk  withm  a 
few  feet  of  it  without  stirring ;  and,  when  it  does  take  flight, 
it  goes  but  a  few  rods,  when  it  alights  on  a  tree,  and  turns 
to  watch  the  intruder.  , 

It  is  a  very  graceful  bird  on  the  ground,  moving  with  a 
stately  step  over  the  long  elastic  moss  so  abundant  m  the 

woods  of  Maine.  .         , 

It  feeds  upon  tho  buds  of  the  evergreens,  and  their  seeds 
and  foliage.  This  food  imparts  to  the  flesh  of  the  bird  a 
TagreeaWe  resinous  flavor,  particularly  in  fall  and  wmter, 


W 


i  i, 

If 


880 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND   OOLOGY. 


I    I 


!W 


:  h-i 


H 


when  it  can  get  no  other  food.  In  fact,  at  all  Beasonfl,  it  is 
far  inferior  to  all  our  other  game  birds  in  flesh,  and  is  never 
delicate  nor  palatable. 

About  the  middle  of  May,  the  female  scratches  together 
a  loose  nest,  beneath  the  branches  of  a  creeping  fir,  and 
lays  in  it  from  eight  to  twelve  eggs.  Tiieso  are  of  a  beau- 
tiful yellowish-buff  color,  with  spots  and  blotches  of  two 
shades  of  brown :  one  a  purplish-brown  ;  the  other,  a  burnt- 
pieima.  They  average  in  dimensions  about  1.08  by  1.26 
inch :  their  form  as  generally  ovoidal ;  sometimes  nearly 
oval,  and  occasionally  more  rounded.  It  is  said,  that, 
"  when  incubation  begins,  the  males  go  apart  by  themselves 
to  different  portions  of  the  forest,  and  remain  until  lato  in 
autumn,  when  thoy  rejoin  the  females  and  young." 

This  species  flourishes  well  in  confinement:  it  tames 
readily,  and  soon  eats  all  kinds  of  grains  and  seeds,  and 
pieces  of  potatoes  and  fruits.  It  requires  a  large  cage  or 
coop,  and  is  contented  if  it  has,  now  and  then,  a  spruce  or 
oedar-trea  given  it  to  roost  and  climb  upon. 

CUPIDONIA,  Bkioh«baoh. 

Cupidonia,  Beichbsbaoh,  Av.  Sy»t  Nat.  (1860).    (Type  Tetrao  Cupido,  L.) 
Tail  short,  naif  the  lengthened  wings;  the  feathers  stiffened  and  more  or  less 
graduated;  bare  space  of  the  neck  concealed  by  a  tuft  of  lanceolate  feathers;  tarsi 
feathered  only  to  near  the  base,  the  lower  joint  scutellato ;  culmen  between  the  nasal 
fosBiB  scarcely  one-third  the  total  length. 

t 

OUPIDOmA    CVVlOO.  —  Baird. 

The  nnnated  Orouae;  Prairie  Hen;  Prairie  Chiaken. 

Tetrao  Cupido,  Linnaeus.    Syst.  Nat,  I.  (1766)  274.    Wils.  Am.  Cm.,  IH.  (1811) 
104.    Nutt.  Man.,  L  663.    Aud.  Cm.  Biog.,  IL  (1884)  490;  V.  (1880)  569. 
Ci^ndonia  Ameiioana,  Beichenbach.    Av.  Syst  Nat  (18o0). 

Dkscbiptioii. 

Tail  of  eighteen  feathers,  varied  with  whitish-brown  and  biownisk -yellow ;  almoet 
everywhere  witli  well-defined  transverse  bars  of  brown  on  the  feathers. 

Body  stout,  compact;  a  tuft  of  long,  pointed  lanceolate  feathers  on  each  side  of 
the  neck,  covering  a  bare  space  capable  of  much  inflation;  tail  short,  truncate,  much 
graduated,  composed  of  eighteen  feathers,  the  lateral  feathers  about  two-thirds  the 


•)ii(ii^S»«M»8«!sa36SeK3W.'SP»B.  )w»*»»po 


■nr 


THE  PINNATED  OHOUSE. 


881 


nlddl«t  the  ftather.  .tiffened,  newly  linear  and  truncate;  the  Ull  1«  icarcely  longer 
than  the  covcrtJ.,and  half  the  length  of  the  wuik;  t«r.i  covered  with  fealhoM  anteriorly 
and  laterally  to  ll.»  •'<«'■,  hut  bare,  with  lioxii«oiml  noutell*  behind;  the  middle  to* 
•nd  claw  longer  timn  the  tariue;  the  tnei  margined  by  pectinatwl  proceMc.;  a  .paca 
above  the  eye  provided  with  a  den«e  [wclinated  procew  in  thi  breednig  leanon, 
tonietnnee  wparated  from  the  eye  by  a  .uperciliary  .pace  covered  with  foathera. 

Length,  lixtcn  and  (Itty  one-hundrodthn  inches;  wing,  eight  and  eighty  one- 
hundredths;  tail,  four  and  ieventy  one-hundrodth*  inches. 

This  woU-kiiowii  bird  is  now  found  in  Now  England  only 
on  Martha's  Vineyard  and  Naushon,  and  perhaps  one  or 
two  other  islands  otf  the  southern  coast  of  Massachusetts. 


It  was  once  probably  very  abundant  in  all  the  southern  New- 
England  States :  but  it  is  now  nearly  exterminated  here ; 
and  very  soon,  in  all  probability,  it  will  ceaae  to  be  one  of 
our  birds.  Having  had  no  opportunities  for  observing  and 
studying  its  habits,  I  give  the  very  full  and  interesting 
description  presented  by  Wilson.  He  quotes  a  letter  de- 
scribing some  of  its  habits  as  follows :  — 

"Amours.  —  The  season  for  pairing  is  in  March,  and  the  breed- 
ing time  is  continued  through  April  and  May.  Then  the  male 
Grouse  distinguishes  himself  by  a  peculiar  sound.  When  he  utters 
it,  the  parts  about  the  throat  are  sensibly  inflated  and  swelled.  It 
may  be  heard  on  a  still  morning  foV  three  or  more  miles ;  some  say 


1 


f 


I 


■i^ 


! 


382 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


they  have  perceived  it  as  far  as  five  or  six.     Tliis  noise  is  a  sort  of 
ventriloquism.    It  does  not  strike  the  ear  of  a  bystander  with  much 
force,  but  impresses  him  with  the  idea,  though  produced  within  a 
few  rods  of  him,  of  a  voice  a  mile  or  two  distant.     This  note  is 
highly  characteristic.     Though  very  peculiar,  it  is  termed  tooting, 
from  its  resemblance  to  the  blowing  of  a  conch  or  horn  from  a 
remote  quarter.     The  female  makes  her  nest  on  the  ground,  in 
recesses  very  varely  discovered  by  men.    She  usually  lays  from  ten 
to  twelve  eggs,  which  are  of  a  brownish  color,  much  resembling 
those  of  a  Guinea  Hen.     When  hatched,  the  brood  is  protected  by 
her  alone.     Surrounded  by  her  young,  the  mother-bird  exceedingly 
resembles  a  domestic  Hen  and  chickens.     She  frequently  leads 
them  to  feed  in  the  roads  crossing  the  woods,  on  the  remains  of 
maize  and  oats  contained  in  the  dung  dropped  by  the  travelling 
horses.     In  that  employment,  they  are  often  surprised  by  th  3  pas- 
sengers.    On  such  occasions,  the  dam  utters  a  cry  of  alarm.    The 
little  ones  immediately  scamper  to  the  brush ;  and,  while  they  are 
skulking  into  places  of  safety,  their  anxious  parent  beguiles  the 
spectator  by  drooping  and  fluttering  her  wings,  limping  along  the 
path,  rolling  over  in  the  dirt,  and  other  pretences  of  inability  to 
walk  or  fly. 

"  Food. A  favorite  article  of  their  diet  is  the  heath-hen  plum, 

or  partridge-berrj^  They  are  fond  of  whortleberries  and  cran- 
berries. Worms  and  insects  of  several  kinds  are  occasionally  found 
in  their  crops.  But,  in  the  winter,  they  subsist  chiefly  on  acorns 
and  the  buds  of  trees  which  have  shed  their  leaves.  In  their 
stomachs  have  been  sometimes  observed  the  leaves  of  a  plant  sup- 
posed to  be  a  wintergreen ;  and  it  is  said,  when  they  are  much 
pinched,  they  betake  themselves  to  the  buds  of  the  pine.  In  con- 
venient places,  they  have  been  known  to  enter  cleared  fields,  and 
regale  themselves  on  the  leaves  of  clover ;  and  old  gunners  have 
reported  that  they  have  been  known  to  trespass  upon  patches  of 
buckwheat,  and  pick  up  the  grains. 

« Migration.  —  They  are  stationary,  and  never  known  to  quit 
their  abode.  There  are  no  facts  showing  in  them  any  disposition 
to  migration.  On  frosty  mornings,  and  during  snows,  they  perch 
on  the  upper  branches  of  pine-trees.  They  avoid  wet  and  swampy 
places,  and  are  remarkably  attached  to  dry  ground.    The  low  and 


L. 


L 


is  a  sort  of 

with  much 
2d  within  a 
'his  note  is 
led  tooting, 
orn  from  a 

ground,  in 
.ys  from  ten 

resembling 
irotected  by 
exceedingly 
lently  leads 

remains  of 
e  travelling 
by  th  1  pas- 
ilarm.  The 
lile  they  are 
beguiles  the 
g  along  the 
■  inability  to 

Ih-hen  plum, 
!S  and  cran- 
ionally  found 
ly  on  acorns 
3.  In  their 
a  plant  sup- 
ey  are  much 
ne.  In  con- 
id  fields,  and 
[unners  have 
)n  patches  of 

lown  to  quit 
ly  disposition 
s,  they  perch 
and  swampy 
The  low  and 


■ 


., 


THE   PINNATED   GROUSE. 


383 


open  brush  is  preferred  to  high  shrubbery  and  thickets.  Into  these 
latter  places  they  fly  for  refuge  when  closely  pressed  by  the  hunt- 
ers ;  and  here,  under  a  stiff  and  impenetrable  cover,  they  escape 
the  pursuit  of  dogs  and  men.  Water  is  so  seldom  met  with  on  the 
true  Grouse  ground,  that  it  is  necessary  to  carry  it  along  for  the 
pointers  to  drink.  The  flights  of  Grouse  are  short  but  sudden, 
rapid,  and  whirring.  I  have  not  heard  of  any  success  in  taming 
them.  They  seem  to  resist  all  attempts  at  domestication.  In  this, 
as  well  as  in  many  other  respects,  they  resemble  the  Quail  of  New 
York  or  the  Partridge  of  Pennsylvania. 

"  Manners.  — Jianng   the    period    of   mating,   and    while    the 
females  are  occupied  in  incubation,  the  males  have  a  practice  of 
assembling,  principally  by  themselves.    To  some  select  and  central 
spot,  where  there  is  very  little  underwood,  they  repair  from  the 
adjoining  district.    From  the  exercise  performed  there,  this  is  called 
a  scratching-place.    The  time  of  meeting  is  the  break  of  day. 
As  soon  as  the  light  appears,  the  company  assembles  from  every 
side,  sometimes  to  the  number  of  forty  or  fifty.     When  the  dawn 
is  past,  the  ceremony  begins  by  a  low  tooting  from  one  of  the 
cocks.    This  is  answered  by  another.    They  then  come  forth  one 
by  one  from  the  bushes,  and  strut  about  with  all  the  pride  and 
ostentation  they  can  display.    Their  necks  are  incurvated;   the 
feathers  on  them  are  erected  into  a  sort  of  rufT;  the  plumes  of  their 
tails  are  expanded  like  fans ;  they  strut  about  in  a  style  resembling, 
as  nearly  as  small  may  be  illustrated  by  great,  the  pomp  of  the  Tur- 
key-cock.   They  seem  to  vie  with  each  other  in  stateliness ;  and,  as 
they  pass  each  other,  frequently  cast  looks  of  insult,  and  utter  notes 
of  defiance.    These  are  the  signals  for  battles.     They  engage  with 
wonderful  spirit  and  fierceness.    During  these  contests,  they  leap  a 
foot  or  two  from  the  ground,  and  utter  a  cackling,  screaming,  and 
discordant  cry.  , 

"  They  have  been  found  in  these  places  of  resort  even  earlier 
than  the  appearance  of  light  in  the  east.  This  fact  has  led  Uy  the 
belief  that  a  part  of  them  assemble  over  night.  The  rest  join  them 
in  the  morning.  This  leads  to  the  further  belief  that  they  roost  on 
the  ground ;  and  the  opinion  is  confirmed  by  the  discovery  of  little 
rings  of  dung,  apparently  deposited  by  a  flock  which  had  passed 
the  night  together.    After  the  appearance  of  the  sun,  they  disperse. 


■-■«iSW*W5*W!<Wia£-:l«WSiw,  ■*■-■" 


.  >M#n 


r 


t  i 


li  \ 


%4 


\mn\  I    li  I 


UK <iifir- 


l,a)l>WIII!l-IW!" 


884 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


"These  places  of  exhibition  have  been  often  discovered  by  the 
hunters;  and  a  fatal  discovery  it  has  been  for  the  poor  Grouse. 
Their  destroyers  construct  for  themselves  lurking-holes  made  of  pme 
branches,  called  bough  houses,  within  a  few  yards  of  the  parade. 
Hither  they  repair  with  their  fowling-pieces,  in  the  latter  part  of 
the  night,  and  wait  the  appearance  of  the  birds.    Watching  the 
moment  when  two  are  proudly  eying  each  other,  or  engaged  m 
battle,  or  when  a  greater  number  can  be  seen  in  a  range,  they  pour 
on  them  a  destructive  charge  of  shot.    This  annoyance  has  been 
given  in  so  many  places,  and  to  such  extent,  that  the  Grouse,  after 
having  been   repeatedly  disturbed,  are  afraid  to  assemble.     On 
approaching  the  spot  to  which  their  instinct  prompts  them,  they 
perch  on  the  neighboring  trees,  instead  of  alighting  at  the  scratch- 
ing-place;  and  it  remains  to  be  observed  how  far  the  restless  and 
tormenting  spirit  of  the  marksmen  may  alter  the  native  habits  of 
the  Grouse,  and  oblige  them  to  betake  themselves  to   .ew  ways 

of  life.  ,  ^, 

"They  commonly  keep  together  in  coveys,  or  packs,  as  the 
phrase  is,  until  the  pairing  season.    A  full  pack  consists,  of  course, 
of  ten  or  a  dozen.    Two  packs  have  been  known  to  associate.     I 
lately  heard  of  one  whose  number  amounted  to  twenty-two.    They 
are  so  unapt  to  be  startled,  that  a  hunter,  assisted  by  a  dog,  has 
been  able  to  shoot  almost  a  whole  pack,  without  making  any  of 
them  take  wing.    In  like  manner,  the  men  lying  in  concealment 
near  the  scratching-places  have  been  known  to  discharge  several 
guns  before  either  the  report  of  the  explosion,  or  the  sight  of  their 
wounded  aud  dead  fellows,  would  rouse  them  to  flight.    It  has 
further  been  remarked,  that,  when  a  company  of  sportsmen  have 
surrounded  a  pack  of  Grouse,  the  birds  seldom  or  never  rise  upon 
their  pinions  while  they  are  encircled;  but  each  runs  along  until 
it  parses  the  person  that  is  nearest,  and  then  flutters  off  with  the 
utmost  expedition.  Samuel  L.  Mitchill." 

He  then  continues  with  his  own  observations :  — 

"This  bird,  though  an  inhabitant  of  different  and  very  distant 

districts  of  North  America,  is  extremely  particular  in  selecting  his 

place  of  residence;  pitching  only  upon  those  tracts  whose  features 

and  production?  correspond  with  his  modes  of  Ufe,  and  avoiding 


il 


THE   PINNATED   GROUSE. 


885 


ered  by  the 
3or  Grouse, 
nade  of  pine 
the  parade, 
tter  part  of 
''atching  the 
engaged  in 
je,  they  pour 
ce  has  been 
jrouse,  after 
semble.     On 
5  them,  they 
the  scratch- 
restless  and 
ve  habits  of 
to  -ew  ways 

tacks,  as  the 
3ts,  of  course, 
associate.     I 
jT-two.    They 
by  a  dog,  has 
taking  any  of 
I  concealment 
harge  several 
sight  of  their 
light.    It  has 
wrtsmen  have 
ever  rise  upon 
as  along  until 
rs  ofiF  with  the 

tflTCHILL." 

i:  — 

id  very  distant 
in  selecting  his 
whose  features 
5,  and  avoiding 


immense,  intermediate  regions  that  he  never  visits.  Open,  dry 
plains,  thinly  interspersed  with  trees,  or  partially  overgrown  with 
shrub  oak,  are  his  favorite  haunts.  Accordingly,  we  find  these 
birds  on  the  Grouse  plains  of  New  Jersey,  in  Burlington  County, 
as  well  as  on  the  brushy  plains  of  Long  Island;  among  the  pines 
and  shrub  oaks  of  Pocano,  in  Northampton  County,  Pennsy  van.a ; 
over  the  whole  extent  of  the  Barrens  of  Kentucky ;  on  the  luxuri- 
ant plains  and  prairies  of  the  Indiana  Territory,  and  Upper  Louisi- 
ana; and,  according  to  the  information  of  the  late  Govei-nor  Lewis, 
on  the  vast  and  remote  plains  of  the  Columbia  River;  m  all  these 
places  preserving  the  same  singular  habits. 

«  Their  predilection  for  such  situations  will  be  best  accounted  for 
by  considering  the  following  facts  and  circumstances -.First,  their 
mode  of  flight  is  generally  direct  and  laborious,  and  ill  calculated 
for  the  labyrinth  of  a  high  and  thick  forest,  crowded  and  intersected 
with  trunks  and  arms  of  trees,  that  require  continual  angular  evolu- 
tion of  wing,  or  sudden  turnings,  to  which  they  are  by  no  means 
accustomed.     I  have  always  observed  them  to  avoid  the  high- 
timbered  groves  that  occur  here  and  there  in  the  Barrens.     Con- 
nected with  this  fact  is  a  circumstance  related  to  me  by  a  very 
respectable  inhabitant  of  that  country;  viz.,  that,  one  forenoon,  a 
cock  Grouse  struck  the  stone  chimney  of  his  house  with  such  force 
as  instantly  to  fall  dead  to  the  ground. 

"Secondly,  their  known  dislike  of  ponds,  marshes,  or  watery 
places,  which  they  avoid  on  all  occasions ;  drinking  but  seldom,  and, 
it  is  believed,  never  from  such  places.    Even  in  confinement,  this 
peculiarity  has  been  taken  notice  of.    While  I  was  m  the  State  of 
Temiessee,  a  person  living  within  a  few  miles  of  Nashville  had 
caught  an  old  hen  Grouse  in  a  trap ;  and,  being  obliged  to  keep  her 
in  a  large  cage,  as  she  struck  and  abused  the  rest  of  the  poultry, 
he  remarked  that  she  never  drank,  and  that  she  even  avoided  that 
quarter  of  the  cage  where  the  cup  containing  the  water  was  placed. 
Happening,  one  day,  to  let  some  water  fall  on  the  cage,  it  trickled 
down  in  drops  along  the  bars,  which  the  bird  no  sooner  observed 
than  she  eagerly  picked  them  off,  drop  by  drop,  with  a  dexterity 
that  showed  she  had  been  habituated  to  this  mode  of  quenchmg  her 
thirst,  and  probably  to  this  mode  only,  in  those  dry  and  barren 
tracts,  where,  except  the  drops  of  dew  .and  drops  of  rain,  water  is 

25 


T 


h 


f  / 


5   I. 

1   :' 


.^im"   »* 


'14 


886  ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 

very  rarely  to  be  met  with.  For  the  space  of  a  week,  he  watched 
her  closely,  to  discover  whether  she  still  refused  to  drmk;  but, 
though  she  was  constantly  fed  on  Indian  corn,  the  cup  and  water 
still  remained  untouched  and  untasted.  Yet  no  sooner  did  he 
again  sprinkle  water  on  the  bars  of  the  cage,  than  she  eagerly  and 
rapidly  picked  them  off  as  before.  . 

«The  last,  and  probably  the  strongest,  inducement  to  their 
preferring  these  plains  is  the  small  acorn  of  the  «^/«b  «ak,  the 
strawberries,  huckleberries,  and  partridge-berries,  with  which  they 
abound,  and  which  constitute  the  principal  part  of  the  food  of  these 
birds.  These  brushy  thickets  also  afford  them  excellent  shelter, 
being  almost  impenetrable  to  dogs  or  birds  of  prey. 

"In  all  these  places  where  they  inhabit,  they  are,  in  the  strict 
est  sense  of  the  word,  resident;  having  their  particular  haunts  and 
places  of  rendezvous  (as  described  in  the  preceding  account),  to 
which  they  are  strongly  attached.     Yet  they  have  been  known  to 
abandon  an  entire  tract  of  such  country,  when   from  whatever 
cause  it  might  proceed,  it  became  again  covered  with  forest.    A 
few  miles  south  of  the  town  of  York,  in  Pennsylvania,  commences 
an  extent  of  country,  formerly  of  the  character  described,  now 
chiefly  covered  with  wood,  but  still  retaining  the  name  of  Barrens. 
In  the  recollection  of  an  old  man  born  in  that  part  of  the  country, 
this  tract  abounded  with   Grouse.     The  timber  growing  up,  m 
progress  of  years,  these  birds  totally  disappeared;  and,  for  a  long 
period  of  time,  he  had  seen  none  of  them,  until,  migrating  with  his 
family  to  Kentucky,  on  entering  the  Barrens,  he,  one  morning, 
recognized  the  well-known  music  of  his  old  acquaintance,  the 
Grouse,  which,  he  assures  me,  are  the  very  same  with  those  he 
had  known  in  Pennsylvania.  ,   ^,      .  »  „„^ 

"But  what  appears  to  me  the  most  remarkable  circumstance 
relative  to  this  bird  is,  that  not  one  of  all  those  writers  who  have 
attempted  its  history  have  taken  the  least  notice  ot  those  two 
extraordinary  bags  of  yellow  skin  which  mark  the  neck  of  the 
male,  and  which  constitute  so  striking  a  peculiarity.  These  appear 
to  be  formed  by  an  expansion  of  the  gullet,  as  well  as  of  the  exte- 
rior  skin  of  the  neck,  which,  when  the  bird  is  at  rest,  hangs  in 
loose,  pendulous,  wrinkled  folds  along  the  side  of  the  neck ;  the 
Bupplemental  wings,  at  the  same  time,  as  well  as  when  the  bird  » 


^^3fi«W«*«i***-' * 


T 


THE  PINNATED  GROUSE. 


887 


ek,  he  watched 
to  drink;  but, 
cup  and  water 
sooner  did  he 
ihe  eagerly  and 

ement  to  their 
shrub  oak,  the 
?ith  which  they 
he  food  of  these 
scellent  shelter, 
ey. 

re,  in  the  strict- 
:ular  haunts  and 
ling  account),  to 
been  known  to 
,  from  whatever 
.  with  forest.    A 
ania,  commences 
■  described,  now 
lame  of  Barrens. 
:t  of  the  country, 
growing  up,  in 
I ;  and,  for  a  long 
ligrating  with  his 
he,  one  morning, 
icquaintance,  the 
ae  with  those  he 

ible  circumstance 

writers  who  have 

tice  of  those  two 

the  neck  of  the 

ty.    These  appear 

ell  as  of  the  exte- 

at  rest,  hangs  in 

of  the  neck;  the 

18  when  the  bird  is 


flying,  lying  along  the  neck.     But  when  these  bags  are  inflated 
with  air,  in"  breeding-time,  they  are  equal  in  size,  and  very  much 
resemble  in  color,  a  middle-sized,  fully  ripe  orange.     By  means  of 
this  curious  apparatus,  which  is  very  observable  several  hundred 
yards  off,  he  is  enabled  to  produce  the  extraordinary  sound  men- 
tioned above,  which,  though  it  may  easily  be  imitated,  is  yet  difii- 
cult  to  describe  by  words.     It  consists  of  three  notes  of  the  same 
tone,  resembling  those  produced  by  the  Night  Hawks  in  their  rapid 
descent ;  each  strongly  accented,  the  last  being  twice  as  long  as  the. 
others.     When  several  are  thus  engaged,  the  ear  is  unable  to  dis- 
tinguish the  regularity  of  these  triple  notes ;  there  being,  at  such 
times,  one  continued  bumming,  which  is  disagreeable  and  perplex- 
ing, from  the  impossibility  of  ascertaining  from  what  distance,  or 
even  quarter,  it  proceeds.     While  uttering  this,  the  bird  exhibits 
all  the  ostentatious  gesticulations  of  a  Turkey-cock ;  erecting  and 
fluttering  his  neck-wings,  wheeling  and  passing  before  the  female, 
and  close  before  his  fellows,  as  in  defiance.     Now  and  then  are 
heard  some  rapid,  cackling  notes,  not  unlike  that  of  a  person  tickled 
to  excessive  laughter ;   and,  in  short,  one  can  scarcely  listen  to 
them  without  feeling  disposed  to  laugh  from  sympathy.     These  are 
uttered  by  the  males  while  engaged  in  fight,  on  which  occasion 
they  leap  up  against  each  other,  exactly  in  the  manner  of  Turkeys, 
seemingly  with  more  malice  than  effect.     This  bumming  continues 
from  a  little  before  daybreak  to  eight  or  nine  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing, when  the  parties  separate  to  seek  for  food. 

"  Fresh-ploughed  fields,  in  the  vicinity  of  their  resorts,  are  sure 
to  be  visited  by  these  birds  every  morning,  and  frequently  also  in  the 
evening.  On  one  of  these  I  counted,  at  one  time,  seventeen  males, 
making  such  a  continued  sound,  as,  I  am  persuaded,* might  have 
been  heard  for  more  than  a  mile  off.  The  people  of  the  Barrens 
informed  me,  that,  when  the  weather  becomes  severe  with  snow, 
they  approach  the  barn  and  farm-house,  are  sometimes  seen  sitting 
on  the  fences  in  dozens,  mix  with  the  poultry,  and  glean  up  the 
scattered  grains  of  Indian  corn,  seeming  almost  half  domesticated. 
At  such  times,  great  numbers  are  taken  in  traps.  No  pains,  how- 
ever, or  regular  plan,  has  ever  been  persisted  in,  as  far  as  I  was 
informed,  to  domesticate  these  delicious  birds.  A  Mr.  Reed,  wjio 
lives  between  the  Pilot  Knobs  and  Bairdstown,  told  me,  that,  a  few 


T 


■M 


Jum 


I 
V 

If. 


ggg  ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOOT. 

years  ago,  one  of  his  sons  found  a  Grouse's  nest  with  fifteen  eggs, 
wWch  he  brought  home,  and  immediately  placed  beneath  a  hen  then 
^«^t  taking  away  her  own.    The  nest  of.  the  Grouse  was  on  the 
glnd,  unde'r  a  tuLock  of  long  grass,  formed  with  very  lutle  ar, 
!nd  fe;  materials:  the  eggs  were  brownish-wh.te,  and  about  the 
Te  of  a  pullet's.     In  three  or  four  days,  the  whole  were  hatched. 
Cead  of  following  the  hen.  they  compelled  her  to  run  after  them, 
d^strlg  her  with  the  extent  and  diversity  of  their  wandenngs ; 
and      wS  a  day  or  two  before  they  seemed  to  understand  her 
'  Lg^age.  or  consent  to  be  guided  by  her.    They  were  let  out  to 
the^elds  where  they  paid  little  regard  to  the.r  nurse;  and,  ma 
ew  day    only  three'o?  them  remained.    These  became  extremely 
Ze  ani  familiar,  were  most  expert  flycatchers;  but.  soon  after, 
they  also  disappeared. 

The  eggs  of  this  species  are  generally  ovoidal  in  form, 
and  are  often  pretty  sharply  tapered  at  their  small  «"d«- 
They  vary  in  color  from  a  dirty-drab  to  a  grayish-white  and 
are  covered  more  or  less  thickly  with  fine  spots  or  dots  of 
brown :  aome  specimens  have  none  of  these  markmgs  while 
others  are  abundantly  spotted.  A  large  number  of  speci- 
mens  in  my  collection  average  about  1.80  by  1.25  mch  la 
dimensions. 

BONASA.  Stkphkns. 

Bonasa,  SXK.H..B,  Shaw's  Gen.  Zool..  XI.  (1819).    (Type  ^''^^ '-^'Z';^ 
...       .    .1,0  ^ryA    its  feathers  very  broad,  as  long  as  the  wings  ,  me 

head  with  a  soft  crest. 

B0HA3A  UMBELLUS.-StepfteM. 
^e  Enffed  Grouse ;  Partridge ;  Pheaaint.  - 

.  «      T .  <!«^.f   Wat    I   (1766)  276.     Wils.  Am.  Om.,  VI. 

Tetrao  umbelliu,  Lmnjeus.     Syst.  Wat.,  i.  u<oo;  " 

(1812)  48.    Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  I.  (1881)  211;  V.  BOO. 

retrao(B<«cma)«mi«Hu.,  Bonaparte.    Syn.  (1828),  126.    Nutt.  Man..  I.  (!»»-») 

'"''Bonasa  unAeUus,  Stephens.    Shaw.  (Sen.  Zool.  XI.  (1824)  800. 


L-, 


iiilllJIlBlMli 


__i,.rwl« 


il 


THE  BUFFED  GROUSE. 


88U 


h  fifteen  eggs, 
;ath  a  hen  then 
ase  wa8  on  the 
very  little  art, 
and  about  the 
were  hatched, 
run  after  them, 
jir  wanderings ; 
understand  her 
vere  let  out  to 
urse ;  and,  in  a 
came  extremely 
but,  soon  after, 

jidal  in  form, 
ir  small  ends, 
jrish-white,  and 
ots  or  dots  of 
aarkings,  while 
mber  of  speci- 
fy 1.25  inch  in 


I  Tetrao  bonatia,  L.) 
g  as  the  wings  ;  tha 
ret  half;  covered  with 
eidea  of  toes  strongly 
of  broad  soft  feathers ; 
s  total  length;  top  of 


It. - 
Wils.  Am.  Om.,  VI. 

Nutt,  Man.,  I.  (1882) 

)800. 


Desckiptiov. 

Tail  of  fiighteen  feathers,  reddish-brown  or  ^lay  above;  the  back  with  cordat« 
spots  of  lighter;  beneath  whitish,  transversely  barred  with  dull-brown;  tail  tipped 
with  gray,  and  with  a  subterminal  bar  of  black ;  broad  feathers  of  the  ruff  black. 

Tail  lengthened,  nearly  as  long  as  the  wing  ;  very  broad,  and  moderately 
rounded;  the  feathers  very  broad  and  truncate,  the  tip  slightly  convex,  eighteen  in 
number;  upper  half  of  tarsus  only  feathered;  bare  behind  and  below,  with  two 
rows  of  hexagonal  Bcutellre  anteriorly;  a  naked  space  on  the  side  of  the  neck,  con- 
cealed by  an  overhanging  tuft  of  broad,  truncate  feathers;  there  are  no  pectinated 
processes  above  the  eye,  where  the  skin  instead  is  clothed  with  short  feathers. 

Length,  eighteen  inches;  wing,  seven  and  twenty  one-hundredths ;  Uil,  seven 
inches. 

This  beautiful  and  well-known  bird,  commonly,  but  very 
improperly,  called  Partridge,  is  a  general  resident  in  all  the 
New-England  States  throughout  the  year.  In  the  most 
retired  localities,  and  in  the  near  vicinage  of  towns,  it  is 
found  almost  equally  abundant ;  and  its  habits  and  charac- 
teristics are  the  same  in  all  localities,  except  that  in  thickly 
settled  districts,  in  consequence  of  its  being  more  pursued 
by  sportsmen,  it  is  much  wilder  and  more  difficult  of  ap- 
proach than  in  less  settled  neighborhoods.  So  tame  and 
unsuspicious  are  these  birds  in  the  deep  forests,  that  I  have 
had  considerable  difficulty  at  times  in  flushing  them.  When 
I  have  approached  them,  instead  of  flying  off",  as  they  should, 
they  stood  watching  me  like  so  many  barn-yard  fowls;  and 
when  I  walked  up  to  within  a  few  feet  of  them,  to  get  them 
a-wing,  —  for  no  true  sportsman  will  ever  kill  a  game  bird 
imlessitis  flying, — they  only  retreated  slowly  into  a  thicket 
of  undergrowth,  and  remained  there  until  actually  forced  to 
take  flight. 

About  the  first  of  May,  sometimes  a  little  earlier,  more 
often  later,  the  female  withdraws  from  the  society  of  the 
male,  and  repairs  to  a  retired  spot  in  the  woods,  where, 
usually  beneath  a  thicket  of  evergreen,  or  a  bunch  of  brush, 
or  perhaps  a  fallen  log  or  rock,  she  scrapes  together  a  few 
leaves  into  a  loose  nest,  and  deposits  from  eight  to  twelve 
eggs.  These  are  usually  of  a  yellowish-white,  sometimes 
a  darker  color,  sometimes  nearly  pure-white.     They  are 


390 


ORNITUOLOOY   AND  OOLOGY. 


\. 


I  t^ 


h 


usually  ovoidal  iu  form,  sometimes  nearly  rounded,  and  their 
dimensions  average  about  1.65  by  1.20  inches:  specunens 
are  occasionally  found  much  larger  than  this  size,  and  many 
■considerably  smaller.  In  about  fifty  specimens  before  me, 
collected  perhaps  in  ten  different  States,  about  five  are  of  a 
yellowish-buff  color,  marked  with  numerous  spots  of  brown  ; 
others  are  more  yellowish,  and  have  more  obscure  spots, 
while  the  greater  number  have  no  raarkmgs  at  all. 

From  several  instances  which  have  come  to  my  knowl- 
edpe,  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  the  female  Ruffed  Grouse, 
if  persistently  molested  when  nesting  on  the  ground,  avails 
herself  of  the  abandoned  nest  of  a  crow,  or  the  shelter 
afforded  in  the  top  of  some  tall  broken  trunk  of  a  tree, 
in  which  she  deposits  her  eggs.    Two  of  my  collectors  m 
Northern  Maine  have  sent  me  eggs  which  they  positively 
declared  were  found  in  a  crow's  nest  in  a  high  pine  but 
which  are  undoubtedly  of  this  species ;  and  recently  I  have 
heard  of  another  occurrence  from  my  friend  L    L.  Kiclc- 
gecker,  of  Pennsylvania.     The  only  satisfactory  theory  t liat 
I  can  advance  to  account  for  these  departures  from  the 
usual  habits  of  the  Grouse  is,  that  the  birds  had  been  much 
disturbed,  their  eggs  or  young  perhaps  destroyed ;  and  as 
they  are  often  in  the  trees,  and  are  expert  chmbers,  they 
laid  their  eggs  in  these  lofty  situations  to  secure  protection 
from  their  numerous  foes  below. 

During  the  season  of  incubation,  the  males  congregate 
together  and  remain  apart  from  the  females,  until  the  young 
birds  are  nearly  full-grown :  they  then  join  them,  and  remam 
with  them  until  the  ensuing  spring. 

Early  in  spring,  the  male  begins  «  drummmg:     this  hab 
is  peculiar  to  this  species,  and  is  probably  familiar  to  all 
persons  who  have  passed  much  of  their  time  m  the  woods. 

I  have  heard  this  drumming  as  early  as  February,  and  as 
late  as  Septe«^ber ;  but  usually  it  is  not  heard  much  before 
n,«  first  of  Anril.  The  bird  resorts  to  a  fallen  trunk  ot  a 
te  orlog!  alS;  wUUe  strutting  like  the  male  Turkey,  beats 


f 


— _ 


idod,  and  their 
es:  specimens 
dze,  and  many 
ns  before  me, 
it  five  are  of  a 
pots  of  brown ; 
obscure  spots, 
;s  at  all. 
to  my  knowl- 
Ruffod  Grouse, 
ground,  avails 
or  the  shelter 
unk  of  a  tree, 
ly  collectors  in 
they  positively 
high  pine,  but 
recently  I  bave 
nd  L.  E.  Rick- 
tory  theory  that 
rtures  from  the 
had  been  much 
troyed ;  and  as 
t  climbers,  they 
ecure  protection 

lales  congregate 
,until  the  young 
hem,  and  remain 


ing:"  this  habit 
y  familiar  to  all 
le  in  the  woods. 
February,  and  as 
ard  much  before 
fallen  trunk  of  a 
lie  Turkey,  beats 


r 


r^. 


'11 

c 

&■ 

(55 


s 


•I 


u 

u 
O 

03 

o 

a 

Id 


3S:i^ 


I   WMMimmmMgLLMJ 


^■^»t>^-«J1MpS*»'  =■■ 


THE   BUFFRD   OBOUflE. 


891 


hU  wing»  against  hl«  nnlo.  and  Uu,  log  -^h  conKiae^^^^^^^^ 
p  r  Thi*  nroducos  a  i.olh.w  .InuumiuK  noino,  that  may 
force.      n>m  P'"'^"*^*?  drntaiu-o:    it  commoncos  very 

':i:I^y,ti  TnUto.  wi«,  a  rpHin^  boat  v„.y .ar  U. 

a,o  dirtanco  of  Uriy  foot,  «..d  vio,  J.».». 

^"ThTfemalo,  when  her  family  is  surpriBed  quickly  gives  a 
wan  ng  cluck,  when  the  whole  brood  adro.tly  conceal  «  e  n- 
Zl  I  have  known  a  number  to  disappear,  as  if  by 
l;  :  beira  b^^ch  of  loaves  or  grass  ;  -d  it  required 
TLnJ  careful  search  to  discover  their  whereabouts. 

I  le  cle  suddenly  upon  a  covey  of  these  young  bird  , 
when  the  mother,  taken  by  surprise,  uttering  a  harsh  cry 
flew  a    my  foot,  and  commenced  pecking  it  fiercely :  the 
y  L  scTamblei  off,  uttering  Mnipeets,  when  the  old  bird 
';rps  astonished  at  this  departure  from  her  usi^al  mod- 
estv  suddenly  retreated,  and  concealed  herself.    The  young 
S's  associate  with  the  female  until  scattered  ^7  spoHsm 
or  by  a  scarcity  of  provender.    They  are  much  mo  e  deli 
cate  as  food,  when  about  two-thirds  grown,  than  the  old 
b^  L   as  theV  have  less  of  that  peculiar  bitter  taste,  and 
te  'a   -cl  flavor,  almost  similar  to  that  o^i^^J^o^^^ 
The  food  of  this  species  consists  of  various  seeds,  berries, 
g.^:,  andlsects.'^When  nothing  else  can  be  ob  ained 
Sey  will  eat  the  leaves  of  the  evergreens,  and  buds  ot 


.      _ 


392 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


trees ;  and,  when  all  other  food  is  covered  with  snow,  they 
eat  dried  pieces  of  apples  that  are  left  hanging  on  the  trees, 
mosses,  and  leaves  of  the  laurel.  It  is  after  feeding  on  this 
last  plant  that  their  flesh  becomes  dangerous  to  be  eaten ; 
and  it  is  always  safe  not  to.  eat  these  birds  in  winter,  if  they 
have  been  killed  for  any  great  length  of  time,  or  if  their 
intestines  and  crops  have  been  left  in  them. 

One  habit  that  this  species  has  is,  I  believe,  peculiar  to 
it ;  and  that  is  its  manner  of  diving  into  the  deep  snow 
to  pass  the  night  in  cold  weather :  this  it  does  very  fre- 
quently, and  its  snowy  covering  affords  it  a  warm  and 
effectual  protection.  But  if  it  rains  during  the  night,  and 
then  the  weather  changes  to  freezing,  the  Grouse,  imprisoned 
beneath  the  crust  that  forms  on  the  surface  of  the  snow, 
soon  dies ;  and  it  is  noticed,  that,  in  seasons  after  winters 
when  the  weather  frequently  changes  from  raining  to  freez- 
ing, there  is  a  scarcity  of  these  birds.  It  is  a  common 
occurrence  to  find  them,  in  the  spring,  dead,  having  perished 
in  this  manner. 


._Ji 


THE   VIRGINIA   PARTRIDGE. 


893 


ith  snow,  they 
ig  on  the  trees, 
feeding  on  this 
as  to  be  eaten ; 
winter,  if  they 
me,  or  if  their 

5ve,  peculiar  to 
the  deep  snow 
does  very  fre- 
t  a  warm  and 
r  the  night,  and 
use,  imprisoned 
ce  of  the  snow, 
tis  after  winters 
•aining  to  freez- 
t  is  a  common 
having  perished 


i 


\i'. 


.      Family  PERDICIDJE.    The  Partridges. 

NostrilB  protected  bv  a  naked  scale;  the  tarsi  bare  and  scutellate. 

The  PerdkuiB  di^  "  ora  the  Grouse  in  the  bare  legs  and  naked  nasal  fossm; 
they  are  much  sn;  .a  size  and  more  abundant  in  species;  they  are  widely  dis- 

tributed over  the  sur.ace  of  the  globe,  a  large  number  belonging  to  America,  where 
the  sub-families  have  no  Old-World  representatives  whatever;  the  head  seldom,  if 
ever,  shows  the  naked  space  around  and  above  the  eye,  so  common  in  the  Tetraonidcs ; 
and  the  sides  of  the  toes  scarcely  exhibit  the  peculiar  pectination  formed  by  a  suc- 
cession of  small  scales  or  plates. 

Sub-Family  ORTTGiNiB. 

BiU  stout;  the  lower  mandible  more  or  less  bidentate  on  each  side  near  the  end. 

The  Ortyginte  of  Bonaparte,  or  Odontophorina  of  other  authors,  are  characterized 
as  a  group  by  the  bidentation  on  either  side  of  the  edge  of  lower  mandible,  usually 
concealed  in  the  closed  mouth,  and  sometimes  scarcely  appreciable;  the  bill  is  short, 
and  rather  high  at  base,  stouter  and  shorter  thiin  what  is  usually  seen  in  Old- 
World  partridges;  the  culmen  is  curved  from  the  base;  the  tip  of  Uie  bill  broad, 
and  overlapping  the  end  of  the  lower  mandible;  the  nasal  groove  is  short;  the  taU  U 
rather  broad  and  long.  ' 

ORTYX,  STKPiiEHa. 

Ortyx,  Stephens,  Shaw's  Gen.  Zool.,  XI.  (1819).   (Type  Tetrao  rtrginiauui,  L.) 

Bill  stout;  head  entirely  without  any  crest;  tail  short,  scarcely  more  than  half 

the  wing,  composed  of  moderately  soft  feathers;  wings  normal;  legs  developed,  the 

toes  reaching  considerably  beyond  the  tip  of  the  tail;  the  lateral  toes  short,  equal, 

their  claws  falling  decidedly  short  of  the  base  of  the  middle  claw. 

OaTTZ  VIEGIHIANUS.  — BonoparJe. 
The  Virginia  Partridge;  QnaU;  Bob-whita. — 


Syst  Nat,  I.  (1766)  277. 
Am.  Om.,  VI.  (1812)  21. 


Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  I. 


Tetrao  Virginiaaia,  Linnseus, 
Perdue   Virginiana,  Wilson. 
(1881)  888;  V.  (1889)  664. 

Ortyx  Virginiana,  Jardine.    Nat  Lib.  Birds,  IV. ;  Game  Birds,  101. 
Perdix  ( Colinia)  Virginiana,  Nuttall.    Man.,  I.  (1882)  646. 

Dkscbiptioh. 
Forehead,  and  line  through  the  eye  and  along  the  side  of  the  neck,  with  chin 
and  throat,  white;  a  band  of  black  across  the  vertex,  and  extending  backwards  on 
the  sides,  within  the  white,  and  another  fi-om  the  maxilla  beneath  the  eye,  and 
crossing  on  the  lower  part  of  the  throat;  the  under  parts  are  white,  tinged  with 
brown  anteriorly,  each  feather  with  several  narrow,  obtusely  V-shaped  bands  of 


it^tKI 


894 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


blMk-  the  forepart  of  back,  the  «de  of  the  breast  and  in  front  just  '^'Jo;^  *e'black 

Tr  nf  a  Zuinkish-redi  the  sides  of  body  and  wing  coverts  brown.sh-red;  the 

.cTatoBt  uliCr^  '  iSut  indication  of  mottling,  scapulars  and  upper  terUas 

coaterblotched  wii  black,  and  edged  internally  -'* ''^''^'f  ^^'J'^'  *°P  "^ 

head  reddish;  the  lower  part  of  neck,  except  anteriorly,  streaked  with  wh,te  and 

^'"t^^^rt^^i^of  ^rLSWlacedbybrow^sh-yeUow;  th. 

"thirsSes  is  subject  to  considerable  variations  both  of  size  and  coU.r,  the  more 

northtrCg  considerably  the  larger,  -^^.r  Mhe' b^k  i^'risT.  o 
nore  black  about  the  head,  on  the  wings,  and  the  middle  of  the  back,  there  is  also 
:;"re  appreciable  mottling  on  the  wings,  and  the  feather,  of  U.e  back  are  streaked 

"' wtten  inches,  wing,  four  and  seventy  oae-hundredths  inches,  tail,  two  and 
eighty-five  one-hundredths  inches. 

THIS  beautiful  bird,  very  improperly  called  the  Quail,  is 
not  very  common  in  any  part  of  New  England  north 
of  Massachusetts;  and  in  that  State  it  is  rapidly  becoming 
rare,  both*  in  consequence  of  the  destructive  pertmactty 
•  with  which  it  is  followed  by  all  sportsmen,  and  the  abomi- 
nable practice  of  snaring  and  netting  it,  that  is  growing  too 
common.    In  Massachusetts  and  the  other  southern  New- 
England  States,  it  is  partially  migratory  in  the  fall;  repair- 
ing to  the  neighborhood  of  the  seacoast,  where  it  remains 
two  or  three  weeks :  it  returns  to  the  fields  and  swamps,  by 
the  first  fall  of  snow,  where  it  passes  the  winter.    Its  habits 
are  pretty  well  known  in  that  section ;      but,  that  my 
readers  may  know  about  ifelsewhere,  I  give  the  very  inters 
esting  description  by  WUson.    He  says,  — 

"They  are  most  numerous  in  the  vicmity  of  weU-cultivated 
plantations,  where  grain  is  in  plenty.  They,  however,  occasionally 
Lk  shelter  in  the'woods,  perching  on  the  branches,  or  secreUng 
themselves  among  the  brushwood;  but  are  found  mostusuaU^^^^ 
open  fields,  or  along  fences  sheltered  by  thickets  of  bners.  Where 
they  are  not  too  much  persecuted  by  the  sportsmen,  they  become 
alnLt  half  domesticated ;  approach  the  bam,  particular  y  m  winter^ 
and  sometimes,  in  that  severe  season,  mix  with  Uie  poultry  to  g^ean 
up  a  subsistence.  They  remain  with  us  the  whole  year,  and  often 
suffer  extremely  by  long,  hard  winters  and  deep  snows.    At  such 


just  below  the  black 
■t8  brownish-red;  the 
re  and  upper  tertials 
fnisfi-yellow;  top  of 
iked  with  whjte  and 

brownish-yellow  i  th« 

;e  and  color,  the  more 
ns  are  darker,  with 
le  back ;  there  is  also 
the  back  are  streaked 

9  inches;  tail,  two  and 


ed  the  Quail,  is 
r  England  north 
apidly  becoming 
itive  pertinacity 

and  the  abomi- 
it  is  growing  too 
r  southern  New- 
the  fall;  repair- 
\rhere  It  remains 

and  swamps,  by 

inter.    Its  habits 

but,  that  my 

ve  the  very  inter- 

of  well-cultivated 
iwever,  occasionally 
inches,  or  secreting 
ind  most  usually  in 
}  of  briers.  Where 
tsmen,  they  become 
irticularly  in  winter, 
the  poultry  to  glean 
hole  year,  and  often 
ep  snows.    At  such 


THE   VIRGINIA   PARTRIDGE. 


895 


times,  the  arts  of  man  combine  with  the  inclemency  of  the  season 
for  their  destruction.  To  the  ravages  of  the  gun  are  added  others 
of  a  more  insidious  kind ;  traps  are  placed  on  almost  every  planta- 
tion, in  such  places  as  they  are  known  to  frequent.  These  are 
formed  of  lath,  or  thinly  split  sticks,  somewhat  in  the  shape  of  an 
obtuse  cone,  laced  together  with  cord,  having  a  small  hole  at  top, 
with  a  sliding  lid,  to  take  out  the  game  by.  This  is  supported  by 
the  common  figure-four  trigger,  and  grain  is  scattered  below  and 
leading  to  the  place.  By  this  contrivance,  ten  or  fifteen  have  some- 
times been  taken  at  a  time. 

"  The  Partridge  begins  to  build  early  in  May.  The  nest  is 
made  on  the  ground,  usually  at  the  bottom  of  a  thick  tuft  of  grass, 
that  shelters  and  conceals  it.  The  materials  are  leaves  and  fine 
dry  grass  in  considerable  quantity.  It  is  well  covered  above,  and 
an  opening  left  on  r  .le  side  for  entrance.  The  female  lays  from 
fifteen  to  twenty-four  eggs,  of  a  pure-white,  without  any  spots. 
The  time  of  incubation  has  been  stated  to  me,  by  various  persons, 
at  four  weeks,  when  the  eggs  were  placed  under  the  domestic  Hen. 
The  young  leave  the  nest  as  soon  as  they  are  freed  from  the  shell, 
and  are  conducted  about  in  search  of  food  by  the  female ;  are 
guided  by  her  voice,  which,  at  that  time,  resembles  the  twittering 
of  young  chickens,  and  sheltered  by  her  wings,  in  the  same  manner 
as  those  of  the  domestic  fowl,  but  with  all  that  secrecy  and  precau- 
tion tor  their  safety  which  their  helplessness  and  greater  danger 
require.  In  this  situation,  should  the  little  timid  family  be  unex- 
pectedly surprised,  the  utmost  (darm  and  consternation  instantly 
prevail.  The  mother  throws  herself  in  the  path,  fluttering  along, 
and  beating  the  ground  with  her  wings,  as  if  sorely  wounded; 
using  every  artifice  she  is  mistress  of  to  entice  the  passenger  in  pur- 
suit of  herself;  uttering,  at  the  same  time,  certain  peculiar  notes  of 
alarm,  well  understood  by  the  young,  who  dive  separately  amongst 
the  grass,  and  secrete  themselves  till  the  danger  is  over :  and  the 
parent,  having  decoyed  the  pursuer  to  a  safe  distance,  returns,  by  a 
circuitous  route,  to  collect  and  lead  them  off.  This  well-known 
manoeuvre,  which  nine  times  in  ten  is  successful,  is  honorable 
to  the  feelings  and  judgment  of  the  bird,  but  a  severe  satire  on 
man.  The  affectionate  mother,  as  if  sensible  of  the  avaricious 
cruelty  of  his  nature,  tempts  him  with  a  larger  prize,  to  save  her 


396 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


more  helpless  offspring ;  and  pays  him,  as  avarice  and  cruelty  ought 
always  to  be  paid,  with  mortification  and  disappointment." 

In  a  great  number  of  eggs  in  my  collection,  from  many 
different  localities,  some  specimens  are  nearly  pure-white, 
while  others  are  smeared  with  some  blotches  or  confluen 
dabs  of  yellowish:  whether  these  are  stains  caused  by 
moisture  or  dirt,  I  am  ignorant ;  but  they  are  permanent, 
for  I  cannot  remove  them  by  water  or  alcohol.  I  judge  they 
are  stains  from  the  earth  or  decayed  vegetation  on  wliich 
they  were  laid  Their  form  is  pyriform ;  and  their  average 
length  about  1.20  inch,  and  greatest  width  1  inch. 


\\ 


NOTES. 

I  continue  Mr.  Couper's  notes,  made  at  Quebec,  Lower 
Canada : — 

ECTOWSTES  UIOSATORinS. — The  Paggenger  Pigeon  is  not  so  common 
in  this  portion  of  Lower  as  in  Upper  Canada,  where  they  breed  in  large 
numbers.  They  are  found  breeding  in  the  eastern  townships  of  Lower 
Canada ;  but  I  have  not  ascertained  that  they  breed  in  this  district  or  north 
of  it.  I  remember  at  one  time  finding  a  nest  of  this  pigeon  in  the  woods 
north  of  Toronto :  it  contained  a  single  young  one.  I  believe  there  are 
many  instances  of  its  breeding  in  solitary  pairs,  something  like  the  Wood 
Pigeon  of  Europe. 

ZIiNAIDUBA  CAROLINEHSIS.  —  The  Carolina  Dove  has  never  been  noticed 
in  Lower  Canada.  It  occurs  occasionally  in  the  woods  north  of  the  city  of 
Toronto,  where,  I  believe,  it  breeds. 

TETBAO  CANADENSIS.  —  This  species  is  very  common  from  October  to 
February.  They  are  in  prime  condition  during  the  last  month.  It  breeds 
on  both  sides  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  but  more  common  on  the  south.  During 
the  above  months,  there  are  generally  six  males  to  one  female  exhibited 
on  our  markets.  The  inhabitants  inform  me  that  females  are  very  scarce 
during  winter.  This  is  a  parodox  to  me,  when  I  know  that  both  male  and 
female  feed  on  the  same  tree.  What  is  also  astonishing,  the  nest  and  eggs 
of  this  bird  are  as  hard  to  discover  in  spring  as  the  female  is  in  winter.  I 
have  offered  to  purchase  every  nest  of  this  species  brought  to  me;  but, 
strange  to  say,  I  have  not  been  fo^lunate  in  seeing  one  yet. 

BONASA  UMBELLnS.  —  Common.  Breeds.  I  have  repeatedly  found  the 
nest  of  this  species 


,nd  crtielty  ought 
tment." 

on,  from  many 
rly  pure-white, 
38  or  confluen 
ins  caused  by 
are  permanent, 
.  I  judge  they 
ation  on  wliich 
d  their  average 
I  1  inch. 


Quebec,  Lower 

1  is  not  80  common 
:hey  breed  in  largo 
awnships  of  Lower 
lis  district  or  north 
igeon  in  the  woods 
I  beUeve  there  are 
tiing  like  the  Wood 

a  never  been  noticed 
north  of  the  city  of 

on  from  October  to 
it  month.  It  breeds 
the  south.  During 
ne  female  exhibited 
lies  are  very  scarce 
that  both  male  and 
ig,  the  nest  and  eggs 
nnale  is  in  winter.  I 
rought  to  me;  but, 
18  yet. 
repeatedly  found  the 


ORDER  V.  —  QRALLATOREa. 


897 


ORDER  v.  — GRALLATORES.      Waders. 

Legs,  neck,  and  usually  the  bill,  much  lengthened;  tibia  bare 
for  a  certain  distance  above  the  tarsal  joint ;  nostrils  exposed ;  tail 
usually  very  short ;  the  species  live  along  or  near  the  water,  more 
rarely  in  dry  plains,  wading,*  never  swimming  habitually,  except 
perhaps  in  the  case  of  the  Phalaropes. 

The  bill  of  the  Grallatores  is  usually  in  direct  proportion  to  the 
length  of  legs  and  neck.  The  toes  vary,  but  are  usually  connected 
at  the  base  by  a  membrane,  which  sometimes  extends  almost  or 
quite  to  the  claws. 

The  Grallatores,  like  the  Rasores  and  Natatores,  are  divisible 
into  two  sub-orders,  according  as  the  species  rear  and  feed  their 
young  in  nests,  or  allow  them  to  shift  for  themselves.  The  follow- 
ing diagnoses  express  the  general  character  of  these  subdivisions  : 

Hebodiones.  —  Face  or  lores  more  or  less  naked,  or  else 
covered  with'  feathers  different  from  those  on  the  rest  of  the 
body,  except  in  some  Gruida ;  bill  nearly  as  thick  at  the  base  as 
the  skull ;  hind  toe  generally  nearly  on  same  level  with  the  ante- 
rior ;  young  reared  in  nests,  and  requiring  to  be  fed  by  the  parent. 

Grall.£.  —  Lores  with  feathers  similar  to  those  on  the  rest  of 
the  body ;  bill  contracted  at  base,  where  it  is  usually  smaller  than 
the  skull ;  hind  toe  generally  elevated ;  young  running  about  at 
birth,  and  able  to  feed  themselves. 


898 


ORNITHOIiOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


SUB-ORDER  HERODIONES. 

Bill  generally  thick  at  the  base  and  much  longer  than  the  head ;  frontal  feathers 
with  a  rounded  outline;  lores,  and  generally  the  region  round  the  eye  (sometime* 
most  of  the  head),  naked. 

The  primary  characteristic  of  the  Uerodicmu,  though  physiological  rather  than 
toological,  is  of  the  highest  importance;  the  young  are  bom  weak  and  imperfect, 
and  are  reared  in  the  nest,  being  fed  directly  by  the  parent  until  able  to  take  care  of 
themselves,  when  they  are  generally  abandoned.  In  the  GraUa,  on  the  contrary, 
the  young  run  about  freely,  directly  after  being  hatched,  and  are  capable  of  securing 
food  for  themselves  under  the  direction  of  the  parent. 

The  chief  zoological  character  (not,  however,  entirely  without  exception)  is  to  be 
found  in  the  bill,  which  is  generally  very  large,  much  longer  than  the  head,  and 
thickened  at  tlie  base  so  as  to  be  nearly  or  quite  as  broad  and  high  as  the  skull;  the 
lores  are  almost  always  naked,  or,  if  covered,  it  is  with  feathers  of  a  different  kind 
from  those  on  the  rest  of  the  body;  the  hind  toe  in  most  genera  is  lengthened  and 
on  a  level  with  the  anterior,  so  as  to  be  capable  of  grasping;  sometimes,  however,  it 
is  elevated  and  quite  short.  —  Baibd. 

Family  ARDEID-^.     The  Herons. 

Bill  conical,  acuminate,  compressed,  and  acute;  the  edges  usually  nicked  at  the 
end;  the  irontal  feathers  generally  extending  beyond  the  nostrils;  tarsi  scutellate 
anteriorly;  the  middle  toe  connected  to  the  outer  by  a  basal  web;  claws  acute;  the 
edge  of  the  middle  one  serrated  or  pectinated  on  its  inner  edge. 


GARZETTA,  Bomapartb. 

Garzetta,  Bosapabtb,  Consp.,  II.  (1865)  118.  (Tj-pe  Ardea  gantUa,  L., 
whether  of  Kaup,  1829?) 

Bill  slender;  outlines  nearly  straight  to  near  the  tip,  when  they  are  about 
equally  convex;  middle  toe  more  than  half  the  tarsus;  tarsi  broadly  scutellate  ante- 
riorly; tibia  denuded  for  about  one-half;  outer  toe  longest;  head  with  a  full  occipital 
crest  of  feathers  having  the  webs  decomposed,  hair-like ;  feathers  of  lower  part  of 
throat  similar;  middle  of  back  with  long  plumes  reaching  to  the  tail,  recurving  at 
tip;  these  plumes  and  the  crest  apparently  permanent;  lower  part  of  neck  behind, 
bare  of  feathers;  colors  pure-white  in  all  ages. 


OABZETTA  OAHSIBISSIMA.  —  £on<^r(«. 
The  Snowy  Heron.  ~ 

Ardea  eandidimma,  Gmelin.  Syst.  Nat,  I.  (1788)  688.  Wils.  Am.  Om.,  VH. 
(1818)  120.  Nutt  Man.,  II.  (1884)  49.  Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  IIL  (1886)  817;  V. 
(1889)  606. 

Garzetta  caruHdimma,  Bonaparte.    Consp.  (1866),  119. 


«  i 


ead;  frontal  feather* 
1  the  eytj  (sometimes 

iological  rather  than 
weak  and  imperfect, 
il  able  to  take  care  of 
lUa,  on  the  contrary, 
re  capable  of  securing 

lut  exception)  is  to  be 
■  than  the  head,  and  > 
ligh  as  the  skull;  the 
rs  of  a  different  kind 
era  is  lengtliened  and 
>metimcs,  however,  it 


5N8. 

usually  nicked  at  the 
strils;  tarsi  scutellate 
reb;  claws  acute;  the 
idge. 


Ardea  garztUa,  L., 

ifhen  they  are  about 
roadly  scutellate  ante- 
id  with  a  full  occipital 
;hers  of  lower  part  of 
I  the  tail,  recurving  at 
'  part  of  neck  behind, 


te. 


Wils.  Am.  Om.,  TH. 
,  m.  (1886)  817  i  V. 


■•■BPWHIP"^"" 


THE   SNOWY  HERON. 


899 


Description. 

Occiput  much  crested;  dorsal  plutnos  reaching  to  the  end  of  the  tail;  colors  pure- 
white;  bill  blacl.;  the  base  yellow;  legs  black;  iris,  hazel  in  young,  yellow  in 
adult. 

Length,  twenty-four  inches;  wing,  ten  and  twenty  one-hundrodths  inches;  tar- 
sus, three  and  eighty  one-hundredths  inches ;  bill,  above,  three  and  fifteen  one-hun- 
dredtbs  inches. 

rilHIS  beautiful  bird  is  a  very  rare  summer  visitor  in 
X    the  southern  New-England  States.    I  have  never  had 
an  opportunity  for  observing  its  habits,  and  will  give  the 
description  by  Wilson:  — 

"  The  Snowy  Heron  seems  particularly  fond  of  the  salt  marshes 
during  summer,  seldom  penetrating  far  inland.  Its  white  plumage 
renders  it  a  very  conspicuous  object,  either  while  on  wing,  or  while 
wading  the  meadows  or  marshes.  ,_r— .;^-- 

Its  food  consists  of  those  small 
crabs  usually  called  fiddlers,  mud- 
worms,  snails,  frogs,  and  lizards. 
It  also  feeds  on  the  seeds  of  some 
species  of  nymphae,  and  of  several 
other  aquatic  plants. 

On  the  i9th  of  May,  I  visited 
an  extensive  breeding-place  of  the 
Snowy  Heron,  among  the  red  ce- 
dars of  Summer's  Beach,  on  the 
ast  of  Cape  May.  The  situation 
was  very  sequestered,  bounded  on 
the  land  side  by  a  fresh-water 
marsh  or  pond,  and  sheltered  from 
the  Atlantic  by  ranges  of  sand-hills.  The  cedars,  though  not  high, 
were  so  closely  crowded  together  as  to  render  it  difficult  to  pene- 
trate through  among  them.  Some  trees  contained  three,  others 
four  nests,  built  wholly  of  sticks.  Each  had  in  it  three  eggs  of  a 
pale  greenis^'-blue  color,  and  measuring  an  inch  and  three-quarters 
in  length  by  an  inch  and  a  quarter  in  thickness.  Forty  or  fifty  of 
these  eggs  were  cooked,  and  found  to  be  well  tasted :  the  white 
was  of  a  bluish  tint,  and  almost  transparent,  though  boiled  for  a 
considerable  time;  the  yolk  very  small  in  quantity.    The  birds 


400 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


rose  in  vast  numbers,  but  without  clamor,  alighting  on  the  tops  of 
the  trees  around,  and  watching  the  result  in  silent  anxiety.  Among 
them  were  numbers  of  the  Night  Heron,  and  two  or  three  Purple- 
headed  Herons.  Great  quantities  of  egg-shells  lay  scattered  under 
the  trees,  occasioned  by  the  depredations  of  the  Crows,  who  were 
continually  hovering  about  the  place.  On  one  of  the  nests  I  found 
the  dead  hotly  of  the  bird  itself,  half  devoured  by  the  Hawks, 
Crows,  or  Gulls.     She  had  probably  perished  in  defence  of  her 

eggs. 

"  The  Snowy  Heron  is  seen  at  all  times  during  summer  among 
the  salt  marshes,  watching  and  searching  for  food,  or  passing,  some- 
times in  flocks,  from  one  part  of  the  bay  to  tlus  other.  They  often 
make  excursions  up  the  rivers  and  inlets,  but  return  regularly  in 
the  evening  to  the  red  cedars  on  the  beach  to  roost" 

ARDEA,  Lumxaa. 

Ardea,  LwifiKUs,  Syrt.  Nat.,  I.  (1786).    (Type  A.  eiperea.) 

Bill  very  thick;  culmcn  nearly  straight;  gonys  ascending,  ita  tip  more  convex 
than  .that  of  culmen;  middle  toe  more  than  half  the  tarsus;  tibia  bare  for  nearly 
or  quite  one-half;  claws  short,  much  curvpd;  outer  toe  longest;  tarsus  broadly 
■outellate  anteriorly;  occiput  with  a  few  elongated  occipital  feathers;  scapulars 
elongate  lanceolate,  ns  long  as  the  secondaries ;  no  dorsal  plumes ;  tail  of  twelve 
broad  stiffened  feathers;  back  of  neck  well  feathered;  size  very  large;  colors  plum- 
beons,  streaked  beneath. 

ASDEA  HERODIAS.  — //inmnu. 
The  Great  Blue  Heron,  or  (  ane. 

Ardea  Eerodia$,  Linujens.  Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1766)  287.  Wils.  Am.  Cm.,  Vin. 
(1814)28.    Nutt  Man.,  U.  (1884)  42.    Aud.  Cm.  Biog.,  lU.  (1886)  87;  V.  699. 

Descriptioh. 

Lower  third  of  tibia  bare;  above  bluish-ash;  edges  of  wing  and  the  tibia  mfons; 
neck  cinnamon-brown ;  head  black,  with  a  white  frontal  patch ;  body  beneath  black, 
broadly  streaked  on  the  belly  with  white;  crissum  white;  middle  line  of  throat 
white,  streaked  with  black  and  rufous. 

AduU.  —  Bill  yellow,  dusky  at  tbg  base  and  greenish  above;  the  forehead  and 
central  part  of  the  crown  are  white,  encircled  laterally  and  behind  by  £lack,  of 
which  color  is  the  occipital  crest  and  its  two  elongated  feathers ;  the  neck  is  of  a 
light  smoky  cinnamon-brown,  with  perhaps  a  tinge  of  purple;  the  chin  and  throat 
whitish;  the  feathers  along  the  central  line  of  the  throat  to  the  breast  white,  streaked 
with  black,  and  also  with  reddish-brown,  except  on  the  elongated  feathers  «f  the 


4 


■■I  ■■  iiiiWWWWWW l'^*^* 


THE  GREAT  BLUE  HERON. 


401 


le  tops  of 
.  Amoug 
36  Purple- 
ered  under 
who  were 
3t8  I  found 
le  Hawks, 
oce  of  her 

aer  among 
3ing,  Bome- 
rhey  often 
Bgularly  in 


br«Mt;  the  body  may  be  described  as  bluiHli-aah  above  and  on  the  sidex;  the  under 
parts,  including  the  tuft  of  fpHthers  on  each  side  the  breast  and  the  belly  to  the 
white  crissum,  are  sooty  black,  much  varied  along  the  middle  line  with  white; 
the  tibia  and  the  edge  of  the  wing  are  rufous;  the  quills  are  black,  becoming  more 
plumbeous  internally  until  the  innermost  secondaries  aro  ashy,  llki^  the  back;  the 
elongated  tips  of  the  scapular  feathers  have  a  whitish  shade;  the  tail  is  of  a  bluish- 
slate  color;  according  to  Mr.  Audubon,  the  bill  in  life  is  yellow;  dusky-green  above; 
loral  and  orbital  spaces  light-green;  iris  yellow;  feet  olivaceous,  paler  above  the 
tibio-tarsal  joint;  claws  black. 

Young.  —  The  upper  mandible  is  blackish;  the  lower  yellow,  except  along  the 
commissure;  the  head  above  is  entirely  dusky,  without  the  much  elongated  occipital 
feathers;  the  breast  is  grayish,  streaked  with  white  and  light-brown,  but  without 
any  pure-black  patches;  the  back  is  without  the  elongated  scapular  feathers;  in 
itill  younger  specimens,  the  coverts  aro  all  margined  with  rufous,  which  becomes 
lighter  at  the  tip;  the  rufous  of  the  tibia  is  much  lighter. 

Length,  forty-two  inches;  wing,  eighteen  and  tifty  one-Iiundredths ;  tarsus  about 
six  and  ddy  one-hundredthg  inches;  bill  about  five  and  fifty  one-hundredths 
inches. 


more  convex 
ire  for  nearly 
irsus  broadly 
rs;  scapulars 
tail  of  twelve 
i  colors  plum- 


1.  Om.,  vm. 

r;V.  689. 


e  tibia  mfona ; 
>eneath  black, 
line  of  throat 

forehead  and 
by  l>lack,  of 
I  neck  is  of  a 
in  and  throat 
rhite,  streaked 
eatfaen  of  tha 


This,  the  largest  of  our  New-England  Herons,  is  pretty 
generally  distributed  throughout  these  States  as  a  summer 
resident ;  and,  although  not  very  abundant  in  any  section,  it 
is  of  course  more  often  found  in  localities  near  large  bodies  of 
■water  than  elsewhere.  It  arrives  from  the  South  about  the 
second  week  in  April,  sometimes  a  little  earlier.  During 
the  day,  it  seems  to  prefer  the  solitudes  of  the  forest  for 
its  retreat,  as  it  is  usually  seen  in  the  meadows  only  at  early 
morning,  and  in  the  latter  part  of  the  afternoon.  It  then, 
by  the  side  of  a  ditch  or  pond,  is  observed  patiently  watching 
for  its  prey.  It  remains  standing  motionless  until  a  fish  or 
frog  presents  itself,  when,  with  an  unerring  stroke  with  its 
beak,  as  quick  as  lightning,  it  seizes,  beats  to  pieces,  and 
swallows  it.  This  act  is  often  repeated ;  and,  as  the  Heron 
varies  this  diet  with  meadow-mice,  snakes,  and  insects,  it 
certainly  does  not  lead  the  life  of  misery  and  want  that 
many  writers  ascribe  to  it.  In  fact,  it  is  always  plump  and 
in  good  condition ;  and  by  many  is  considered  as  a  palatable 
bird  on  the  table. 

About  the  10th  of  May,  this  species  commences  building : 
as  with  the  other  Herons,  it  breeds  in  communities,  and 
several  nests  may  be  found  in  an  area  of  a  few  rods.    Tliese 

26 


i 


«•■ 


402 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


arc  placed  in  high  forks  of  troos,  generally  m  rot.rod,  almost 
impassable  swamps.    I  once  visited  a  heronry  of  tins  species 
in  ErroU  N.H.     It  was  in  a  deep  swamp,  winch  was  inter- 
sectcd  liy  a  small  branch  of  tlio  Androscoggin  River.     I 
think  tliat  I  never  penetrated  a  more  viUanous  tract :  every 
few  rods  a  qnagmiro  wonld  present  itself,  which,  althongh 
familiar  to  the  persons  who  accompanied  mo,  was  generally 
unrecognizable  by  me,  from  any  patches  of  green  turf ;  and 
it  was  only  by  wading  through  mud  and  water,  sometimes 
up  to  my  waist,  or  by  leaping  from  one  fallen  tree  to  another, 
through  briers  and  brushwood,  that  I  at  lasc  succeeded  m 
arriving  beneath  the  trees  in  which  the  nests  were  built. 
These  were  all  dead  hemlocks,  white  and  smootn,  without  a 
branch  for  certainly  forty  feet,  and  unclimbable.    We  could 
see  that  the  nests  were  nearly  flat,  and  were  constructed  of 
twigs  of  different  sizes,  put  together  in  a  loose  and  slovenly 
manner.    This  was  about  the  25th  of  June :  «>«  y^^fT^^^^' 
of  course,  then  about  two-thirds  grown  ;  and,  as  I  had  heard 
that  they  were  excellent  eating,  I  emptied  both  the  barrels 
of  my  gun  into  one  of  the  nests,  when  down  tumbled  two 
"  squab  Herons,"  as  they  are  called.    We  had  them  broiled 
for  supper:  they  tasted  something  like  duck,  but  had  a 
strong  flavor  that  was  not  pleasant.     »  I  don't  hanker  after 
any  more,"  as  one  of  our  company  said  after  supper.     Ihe 
old  birds,  at  the  report  of  my  gun,  began  flying  over  our 
heads,  uttering  their  hoarse  honks  and  guttural  cries.    They 
were  careful  to  keep  out  of  gunshot ;  and,  after  frying  back 
and  forth  a  few  minutes,  they  disappeared,  and  all  was  stiU 
The  eggs  of  this  species  are  laid  about  the  15th  or  20th  ot 
May:  they  are  usually  three  or  four  in  number,  and  their 
form  is  ovoidal.     They  are  of  a  light  bluish-green  color  and 
average  in  dimensions  about  2.62  by  1.75  uich.    But  one 
brood  is  reared  in  the  season. 

This  is  one  of  the  most  suspicious  of  our  birds,  and 
the  most  difficult  to  be  approached.  It  is  constantly  on  the 
lookout  for  danger;  and  its  long  neck,  keen  eyes,  and  deii- 


•'Sima 


i. 


I 


•a    .■ 


iipMWH 


n  m 


THE   LBAST   BITTERN. 


408 


itirod,  almost 
f  tliia  spocios 
;h  waft  iiitcr- 
in  Rivor.     I 

tract:  every 
icli,  although 
ffiifi  generally 
len  turf ;  and 
3r,  sometimoB 
oe  to  another, 
succeeded  in 
ts  were  built. 
>th,  without  a 
le.    We  could 
lonstructed  of 
3  and  slovenly 
le  young  were, 
18  I  had  heard 
th  the  barrels 
X  tumbled  two 
i  them  broiled 
ck,  but  had  a 
t  hanker  after 

supper.  The 
ying  over  our 
al  cries.  They 
'ter  flying  back 
id  all  was  still. 
5th  or  20th  of 
aber,  and  their 
^reen  color,  and 
inch.     But  one 

oar  birds,  and 

instantly  on  the 

eyes,  and  deli- 


1 


cato  organs  of  hearing,  enable  it  to  detect  the  approach  of 
a  hunter  long  before  he  can  get  within  gunshot. 

About  the  middle  of  October,  it  leaves  New  England,  ia 
Binall  detached  groups,  for  the  Soutii. 


ARDETTA,  Grat. 

Ardttta,  GnAT,  List  r.i  Genera,  App.  (1842),  18.    (Type  Ardea  minuta,  L.) 

Bill  alcnder,  ..cute;  both  maiKlibleii  about  equally  curved;  le^  very  short;  tani 

less  than  middle  tue;  inner  toe  much  longest;  clawt  long,  acute;  tarsi  broadly 

sculoUate  anteriorly. 

Tail  of  toil  feathers ;  neck  short ;  body  much  compressed :  head  smooth ;  the 

occipital  feathers  somewhat  lengthened;  the  lower  neck  bare  of  feathers  behind;  no 

plomos;  plumage  compact,  lustrous;  uniform  above;  sexes  differently  colored. 


AKDETTA  tXlLlS.  —  Oray. 

yc  The  Least  Bittern.— 

Ardea  exilU,  Gmelin.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1788)  648.    Wil«.  Am.  Om.,  VIII.  (1814) 
ST.    Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  III.  (1836)  77;  V.(1889)  606. 
Ardea  (ardeoln)  i-xiti$,  NutUll.     Man.,  II.  (1634)  66. 
Ardttta  txilit,  Gray.    Gen.  (1842). 

DESCRimoN. 

Head  above  and  the  back  dark  glossy  green;  upper  part  of  neck,  shoulders, 
greater  coverts,  and  outer  webs  of  some  tertials,  purplish-cinnamon;  a  brownish- 
yellow  scapular  stripe.  Female  with  the  green  of  head  and  back  replaced  by 
purplish-chestnut;  iris  yellow. 

Length,  thirteen  inches;  wing,  four  and  seventy-tlvo  one-hundredths ;  tarsus, 
one  and  sixty  one-hundredths;  bill,  above,  one  and  seventy-five  one-hundredths 
inchei. 

This,  the  smallest  of  ovir  Ardeidse,  is  a  rare  summer 
inhabitant  of  New  England.  It  is  only  seen  in  pairs  or 
solitary  individuals,  and,  unlike  most  of  our  birds  in  this 
family,  seems  persistently  solitary  in  its  habits.  I  ha\e 
never  met  with  an  individual  alive,  and  will  give  a  short 
extract  from  the  description  by  Audubon  of  its  habits.  He 
says,  "  Although  the  Least  Bittern  is  not  unfrequently 
Started  in  salt  nmrshes,  it  gives  a  decided  preference  to 
the  borders  of  ponds,  lakes,  or  bayous  of  fresh  water;  and 
it  is  in  secluded  situations  of  this  kind  that  it  usually  forms 
its  nest.    This  is  sometimes  placed  on  the  ground,  amid  the 


f 

1 


wpi 


WK 


HP 


404 


ORNITHOLOOY   AKD   OOLOOY. 


rankest  grasses,  but  more  froquently  it  is  attached  to  the 
Btoms  several  inches  above  it.  It  is  flat,  and  composed  of 
dried  or  rotten  weeds.  In  two  instances,  I  found  the  nests 
of  tlie  Least  Bittern  about  throe  feet  above  the  ground,  in  a 
thiclt  cluster  of  smilax  and  other  briery  plants.  In  the 
first,  two  nests  wore  placed  in  the  same  bush,  within  a  few 
yards  of  each  other.  In  the  other  instance,  there  was  only 
one  nest  of  this  bird,  but  several  of  the  Boat-tailed  Grakle, 
and  one  of  the  Green  Heron,  the  occupants  of  all  of  which 
seemed  to  be  on  friendly  terms.  When  startled  from  the 
nest,  the  old  birds  omit  a  few  notes  resembling  the  syllable 
qua,  alight  a  few  yards  off,  and  watch  all  your  movements. 
If  you  go  towards  them,  you  may  sometimes  take  the  female 
with  the  hand,  but  rarely  the  male,  who  generally  flies  off, 
or  makes  his  way  through  the  woods. 

"  The  food  of  this  bird  consists  of  snails,  slugs,  tadpoles 
or  young  frogs,  and  water  lizards.  In  several  instances, 
however,  I  have  found  small  shrews  and  field-mice  in  their 
stomach.  Although  more  nocturnal  than  diurnal,  it  moves 
a  good  deal  about  by  day  in  search  of  food.  The  flight  of 
this  bird  is  apparently  weak  by  day  ;  for  then  it  seldom  re- 
moves to  a  greater  distance  than  a  hundred  yards  at  a  time, 
and  this,  too,  only  when  frightened  in  a  moderate  degree, 
for,  if  much  alarmed,  it  falls  again  among  the  grass,  in  the 
manner  of  the  Rail :  but  in  the  dusk  of  the  evening  and 
morning,  I  have  seen  it  passing  steadily  along,  at  the  height 
of  fifty  yards  or  more,  with  the  neck  retracted,  and  the  legs 
stretched  out  behind  in  the  manner  of  the  larger  Herons." 

The  eggs  of  this  species  are  usually  four  in  number: 
they  are  nearly  oval  in  form,  and  are  of  the  size,  and  almost 
exactly  the  form,  of  eggs  of  the  Yellow-billed  Cuckoo,  ex- 
cept with  regard  to  color ;  the  present  species  being  con- 
siderably paler.  It  has  been  found  to  breed  in  all  the 
New-England  States,  but  seems  to  be  more  of  a  southern 
species,  and  it  is  -not  abundant  anywhere  north  of  the 
southern  portions  of  the  Middle  States. 


^ 


acliod  to  the 
compoBod  of 
lud  tho  ueHts 
ground,  in  a 
lilts.  In  tho 
within  a  fow 
loro  was  only 
ailod  Graltlo, 
all  of  wliich 
ilod  from  tho 
;  tho  gyllablo 
'  movements. 
,ko  the  female 
rally  flies  off, 

iugs,  tadpoles 
■al  instances, 
mice  in  their 
nal,  it  moves 
The  flight  of 
it  seldom  re- 
rds  at  a  time, 
>erate  degree, 
I  grass,  in  the 
!  evening  and 
,  at  the  height 
,  and  the  legs 
;er  Herons." 
•  in  number: 
^e,  and  almost 
i  Cuckoo,  ex- 
es being  con- 
sd  in  all  the 
}f  a  southern 
north  of  the 


TUB  BITTRRN. 


B0TAURU8,  Stbpiibms. 


406 


■ 


Sodiunu,  STBriiRNS,  Sliaw'i  Cien.  Zool.,  XI.  (1819)  593.  (Typn  Ardta  titU 
larit,  I,.) 

Hill  modoraU,  ictrfely  longer  than  the  head!  bill  outllnei  gently  convex,  gonyt 
ttuccniliiig;  (.iinl  very  tl-irt,  lem  than  the  middle  toes  broadly  ncutellate ;  innar 
lateral  toe  much  loii,{citi  clans  nil  very  long,  acute,  and  nearly  nlmiifht. 

Tall  of  ten  featheraj  no  jieculiiir  creatj  plumage  loose,  opafine,  streaked ;  lexei 
liiniUw. 

B0TAUBU8  ttnriQnosvn.  -  Bitphitu. 

^  The  Bittern ;  Stake-driver.  - 

Botaunu  Untiffinonu,  Stephens.     Shaw's  Gen.  Zool.,  XI.  (181B)  500. 
Arden  {butiiurus)  Untiiiinoia,  Nuttall.     Man.,  II.  (1834)  60. 
Ardta  minor,  Wilson.    Am.  Orn.,  VIII.  (1814)  85.    Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  IV.  (1888) 
380. 

Dkbcbiitios. 

Brownish-yellow,  finely  m.fttled  ond  varied  with  dark-brown  and  brownish-red;  • 
broad  black  stripe  on  each  side  the  neck,  starting  behind  the  ear;  iris  golden  yellow. 

Length,  tweuty-six  and  fifty  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  eleven;  fumus,  tliree 
and  sixty  one-hundredths  inchea;  bill,  above,  two  and  seventy-live  one  hundredthi 
inchea. 

JJoft.— Entire  continent  of  North  America. 

Perhaps  none  of  our  Herons  are  more  generally  known 
than  this  species  ;  for  it  is  common  in  all  New  England  as  a 
Biuumer  resident,  and  in  some  localities,  particularly  the 
northern,  is  quite  abundant.  It  arrives  from  tho  South 
from  about  the  last  week  in  March  to  the  10th  of  April, 
according  to  latitude,  and  remains  in  the  meadows,  where  it 
makes  its  home  until  the  middle  of  October.  It  seems  to 
be  more  diurnal  in  its  habits  than  most  of  our  other  Herons, 
and  seems  always  employed  in  the  pursuit  of  fishes,  frogs, 
and  other  reptiles  and  insects,  of  which  its  food  consists. 

It  breeds  in  communities,  sometimes  as  many  as  a  dozen 
pairs  nesting  within  the  area  of  a  few  rods.  The  nests  are 
placed  on  low  bushes,  or  thick  tufts  of  grass,  sometimes  in 
low,  thickly  wooded  trees;  and  are  composed  of  coarse 
grasses,  twigs,  and  a  few  leaves.  I  Lnow  of  no  other  place 
.n  New  England  where  these  birds  breed  in  such  abun- 
dance as  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Richardson  Lakes,  in 
Maine.     There,  in  some  of  the  tangled,  boggy,  almost  im- 


tft. 


.% 


IIUIl'lllllHl||MlpW,IH|lH.'»MI" 


fltijWrWWfillwi**" 


406 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


penetrable  swamps,  these  birds  have  several  heronries,  which 
they  have  inhabited  for  years.  When  their  haunts  are 
approached,  the  birds  rise  with  a  guttural  note,  like  the 
syllable  quah,  and  alight  in  some  tall  tree,  from  which  they 
silently  watch  the  intruder. 

The  eggs  are  usually  four  in  number.  Their  form  is 
generally  ovoidal,  and  their  color  a  rich  drab,  with  some- 
times an  olive  tinge.  I  know  of  no  species  that  exhibits  so 
little  variation  in  the  size  of  its  eggs  as  this;  for  in  a  large 
number  of  specimens  in  my  collection  from  half  a  dozen 
different  States,  east  and  west,  the  only  variety  of  dimen- 
sions is  from  1.92  by  1.50  inch  to  1.88  by  1.48  inch. 

In  the  mating  season,  and  during  the  first  part  of  the 
period  of  incubation,  the  male  has  a  peculiar  love-note,  that 
almost  exactly  resembles  the  stroke  of  a  mallet  on  a  stake ; 
something  like  the  syllables  'chunk-Orlunk-chunk,  quank- 
chunk-a-lunk-chunk.  I  have  often,  when  in  the  forests  of 
Northern  Maine,  been  deceived  by  this  note  into  believing 
that  some  woodman  or  settler  was  in  my  neighborhood, 
and  discovered  my  mistake  only  after  toiling  through  swamp 
and  morass  for  perhaps  half  a  mile.  But  one  brood  is 
reared  in  the  season  by  this  bird  in  New  England ;  and,  by 
the  first  week  in  August,  the  young  are  able  to  shift  for 
themselves. 

BUTORIDES,  Blyth. 

BuUmdei,  Bltth  (1849),  Horsf.    (Type  Ardea  Javanica.) 

Bill  acute,  rather  longer  than  the  head,  gently  curved  from  the  base  above, 
gonys  slightly  ascending;  legs  very  short;  tarsi  scarcely  longer  than  the  middle 
toe  broadly  scutellate  anteriorly;  lateral  toes  nearly  equal;  head  with  elongated 
feathers  above  and  behind;  these  are  well  defined,  lanceolate,  as  are  the  wter- 
,c«pular9  and  scapulars;  the  latter  not  exceeding  the  tertials;  neck  short;  bare 
behind  interiorly;  tibia  feathered  nearly  throughout;  tail  ot  twelve  feathers. 

BUTOBISES  VIBESCESS.  — Bonaparte. 
/, The  Green  Heron;   Fly-np-the-Creek. -' 
Ardea  viracens,  Linn«us.    Syst.  Nat,  L  (1766)  288.    Wils.  Am.  Om.,  VIL 
11818)  97.    And.  Om.  Biog.,  IV.  (1888)  874. 

Ardea  (hoUiurtu)  viretcem.    Nutt,  11.  (1884)  68. 
Btttoj-tdM  WrMC«fM,  Bonaparte.    Consp.  Av.,  IL  (1866)  138. 


"~"W" 


ronries,  which 
p  haunts  are 
lote,  like  the 
im  which  they 

[heir  form  is 
b,  with  some- 
lat  exhibits  so 
for  in  a  large 
half  a  dozen 
iety  of  dimen- 
8  inch. 

st  part  of  the 
love-note,  that 
let  on  a  stake ; 
■chunk,  quank- 
the  forests  of 
into  believing 
neighborhood, 
through  swamp 
,  one  brood  is 
gland ;  and,  by 
}le  to  shift  for 


Tom  the  base  aboee; 
iger  than  the  middle 
head  with  elongated 
ite,  88  are  the  inter- 
Js;  neck  short!  bare 
twelve  feathers. 


(Vils.  Am.  Om.,  VII. 


THE  OREEK  HERON. 


407 


Descriptiojj. 

"  The  Green  Bittern  is  eighteen  inches  long,  and  twenty-five  inches  in  extent ; 
bill  black,  lighter  below,  and  yellow  at  the  base;  chin,  and  narrow  streak  down  the 
throat,  yellowish-white;  neok  dark  vinaceous-red ;  back  covered  with  very  long, 
tapering,  pointed  fentherp,  of  a  hoary  green,  shafted  with  white,  on  a  dark-green 
ground;  the  hind  part  of  the  neck  is  destitate  of  plumage,  that  it  may  be  the  more 
conveniently  drawn  in  over  the  breast,  but  is  covered  with  the  long  feathers  of  the 
throat  and  sides  of  the  neck  that  enclose  it  behind;  wings  and  tail  dark  glossy 
green,  tipped  and  bordered  with  yellowish-white ;  legs  and  feet  yellow,  tinged  before 
with  green,  the  skin  of  these  thick  and  movable;  belly  ashy-brown;  irides  bright- 
orange. 

"  The  crested  head  very  dark  glossy  green.  The  female,  as  I  have  particularly 
observed  in  numerous  instances,  differs  in  nothing,  as  to  color,  from  the  male; 
neither  of  them  receive  the  long  feathers  on  the  back  during  the  first  season."  — 
Wilson. 

The  above  description  of  this  beautiful  bird  is  so  compre- 
hensive and  accurate,  that  I  cannot  do  better  than  to  pre- 
sent it  in  this  volume ;  and  the  account  of  this  bird's  habits, 
by  the  same  author,  is  so  interesting  and  full,  that,  being 
unable  to  add  to  it  any  thing  of  value,  I  give  it  as  below :  — 

"  The  Green  Bittern  makes  its  first  appearance  in  Pennsylvania 
early  in  April,  soon  after  the  marshes  are  completely  thawed. 
There,  among  the  stagnant  ditches  with  which  they  are  intersected, 
and  amidst  the  bogs  and  quagmires,  he  hunts  with  great  cunning 
and  dexterity.  Frogs  and  small  fish  are  his  principal  game,  whose 
caution  and  facility  of  escape  require  nice  address  and  rapidity  of 
attack.  When  on  the  lookout  for  small  fish,  he  stands  in  the  water, 
by  the  side  of  the  ditch,  silent  and  motionless  as  a  statute ;  his 
neck  drawn  in  over  his  breast,  ready  for  action.  The  instant  a  fry 
or  minnow  comes  within  the  range  of  his  bill,  by  a  stroke,  quick 
and  sure  as  that  of  the  rattlesnake,  he  seizes  his  prey,  and  swallows 
it  in  an  instant.  He  searches  for  small  crabs,  and  for  the  various 
worms  and  larvae,  particularly  those  of  the  dragon-fly,  which  lurk 
in  the  mud,  with  equal  adroitness.  But  the  capturing  of  frogs 
requires  much  nicer  management  These  wary  reptiles  shrink  into 
the  mire  on  the  least  alarm,  and  do  not  raise  up  their  heads  again 
to  the  surface  without  the  most  cautious  circumspection.  The  Bit- 
tern, fixing  his  penetrating  eye  on  the  spot  where  they  disappeared, 
approaches  with  slow,  stealing  step,  laying  his  feet  so  gently  and 
silently  on  the  ground  as  not  to  be  heard  or  felt ;  and,  when  arrived 
within  reach,  stands  fixed,  and  bending  forwards,  until  the  first 


i 


i 


Tf 


(ils^ 


El 


; 


408 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


glimpse  of  the  frog's  bead  makes  its  appearance,  when,  with  a 
stroke  instantaneous  as  lightning,  he  seizes  it  in  his  bill,  beats  it  to 
death,  and  feasts  on  it  at  his  leisure. 

"  When  alarmed,  the  Green  Bittern  rises  with  a  hollow,  guttural 
scream ;  does  not  fly  far,  but  usually  alights  on  some  old  stump, 
tree,  or  fence  adjoining,  and  looks  about  with  extended  neck; 
though,  sometimes,  this  is  drawn  in  so  that  his  head  seems  to  rest 
on  his  breast.  As  he  walks  along  the  fence,  or  stands  gazing  at 
you  with  outstretched  neck,  he  has  the  frequent  habit  of  jetting  the 
tail.  He  sometimes  flies  high,  with  doubled  neck,  and  legs 
extended  behind,  flapping  the  wings  smartly,  and  travelling  with 
great  expedition.  He  is  the  least  shy  of  all  our  Herons,  and 
perhaps  the  most  numerous  and  generally  dispersed ;  being  found  fer 
in  the  interior,  as  well  as  along  cur  salt  marshes,  and  everywhere 
about  the  muddy  shores  of  our  mill-ponds,  creeks,  and  large  rivers. 

"  The  Green  Bittern  begins  to  build  about  the  20  th  of  April : 
sometimes  in  single  pairs,  in  swampy  woods ;  often  in  companies ; 
and  not  unfrequently  in  a  kind  of  association  with  the  Qua-birds, 
or  Night  Herons.  The  nest  is  fixed  among  the  branches  of  the 
trees ;  is  constructed  wholly  of  small  sticks,  lined  with  finer  twigs ; 
and  is  of  considerable  size,  though  loosely  put  together.  The  female 
lays  four  eggs,  of  the  common  oblong  form,  and  of  a  pale  light-blue  . 
color.  The  young  do  not  leave  the  nest  until  able  to  fly ;  and,  for 
the  first  season  at  least,  are  destitute  of  the  long-pointed  plumage 
on  the  back :  the  lower  parts  are  also  lighter,  and  the  white  on 
the  throat  broader.  During  the  whole  summer,  and  until  late  in 
autumn,  these  birds  are  seen  in  our  meadows  and  marshes,  but 
never  remain  during  winter  in  any  part  of  the  United  States." 

A  large  number  of  this  bird's  eggs,  lying  before  me, 
exhibit  a  variation  of  only  from  1.66  by  1.20  inch  to  1.49 
by  1.15  inch  in  dimensions.  But  one  brood  is  reared  in 
the  season ;  and,  by  the  20th  of  September,  the  old  and 
young  leave  New  England  for  the  South. 

NYCTIARDEA,  Swaihbon. 

NycHardea,  Swainson,  Class.  Birds,  IL  (1887)  864.  (Type  Ardea  nycHeorcui, 
lAtm.} 

NycUcorax,  Stephens,  Shaw's  Gen.  Zool.,  XI.  (1819)  608.    Same  type. 


\ 


«iji5s;s.. 


L. 


when,  with  a 
)ill,  beats  it  to 

3II0W,  guttural 
ae  old  stump, 
Ltended  neck ; 
I  seems  to  rest 
^nds  gazing  at 
t  of  jetting  the 
!ck,  and  legs 
ravelling  with 
•  Herons,  and 
being  found  far 
id  everywhere 
id  large  rivers. 
20th  of  April : 
in  companies ; 
the  Qua-birds, 
ranches  of  the 
th  finer  twigs ; 
r.  The  female 
pale  light-blue 
to  fly ;  and,  for 
linted  plumage 
1  the  white  on 
id  until  late  in 
1  marshes,  but 
3d  States." 

g  before  me, 
inch  to  1.49 
is  reared  in 
the  old  and 


Ardea  nyctteoraiB, 
Same  type. 


THE  NIGHT   HERON. 


409 


Bill  very  rtout;  culmen  curved  from  baw;  the  lower  outline  straight,  or  a  little 
concave;  end  of  uppermandible  gently  deciirved ;  Urai  short,  equal  to  the  middle 
toe;  the  scales  more  than  usually  hexagonal  infericrly;  outer  laterel  toe  riither 
longer;  no  unujual  development  of  feathers,  excepting  a  long,  straight  occipital 
plume  of  three  feathers,  rolled  together;  neck  short,  moderately  feathered  behind. 

The  Night  Herons,  with  a  certain  resemblance  to  the  Bittern,  differ  in  the  much 
stouter  and  more  curved  bill,  the  lower  edge  of  which  is  straight,  instead  of  rising  at 
the  end;  the  tarsus  is  equal  to  the  middle  toe,  not  shorter,  and  is  covered  anteriorly 
below  by  small  hexagonal  scales,  instead  of  larg9  transverse  scutell*;  the  claws 
are  much  shorter  and  more  curved;  the  tail  has  twelve  feathers  instead  of  ten. 

BTCTIABOEA  OABDEHI.  —  iBairc^ 

The  Night  Heron ;  Qna-bird, 

Ardea  nyctkorcui,  WUson.  Am.  Om.,  VII.  (1818)  101.  Aud,  Om.  Biog.,  IIL 
(1836)275;  V.  600. 

Ardea  {botaurtu)  ducors,  Nuttall.    Man.,  II.  (1884)  54. 

Description. 

Head  above  and  middle  of  back  steel-green;  wings  and  tail  ashy-blue;  under 
parts,  forehead,  and  long  occipital  feathers  white;  sides  tinged  with  lilac. 

Bill  very  thick  at  the  base,  and  tapcrmg  all  the  way  to  the  tip.  Cuhmen  nearly 
straight  for  half  ito  length,  then  considerably  curved;  lower  outline  of  bill  nearly 
straight;  gonys  proper  slightly  concave ;  legs  short,  but  stout;  the  tarsus  equal  to 
the  middle  toe;  covered  throughout  with  hexagonal  scales,  the  anterior  largest,  but 
those  on  the  upper  portion  much  larger,  and  going  entirely  acrosb ;  tibia  bare  for 
about  one-fifth;  lateral  toes  nearly  equal;  the  outer  rather  longest;  claws  small; 
considerably  curved;  tail  short,  of  twelve  broad,  rather  stiff  feathers. 

Head  with  the  occipital  feathers  elongated,  and  with  two  or  three  very  long, 
straight  feathers  (as  long  as  the  bill  and  head)  springing  from  the  occiput.  These 
are  ro)'ed  up  so  as  to  appear  like  a  single  cylindrical  feather;  back  of  the  neck 
covered  with  down,  but  not  provided  with  long  feathers;  interscapular  festhers  and 
scapulars  elongated  and  lanceolate,  the  webs  scarcely  decomposed. 

The  upper  part  of  the  head,  including  the  upper  eyelids,  the  occipital  crest,  and 
the  interscapular  region  and  scapulars,  dark  lustrous  steel-green;  tht  -  ngs  and  tail 
are  ashy-blue;  the  under  parts,  the  forehead,  and  the  long  occipi  others,  art 
white,  passing  into  pale  ashy-lilac  on  the  sides  and  on  the  neck  «  >mi'  color,  in 

fact,  tingeing  neariy  the  whole  under  parts.    The  region  alp*!,'  -^  w  of  the  bill, 

however,  is  nearly  pure,  as  are  the  tibia.    The  bill  is  Mark  -.-.i '      «ce  green; 

the  iris  red;  the  feet  yellow;  the  claws  brown. 

Length,  about  twenty-five  ir    'es;  wing,  twelve  and  >.  ■    Jredths;  lai- 

sus,  three  and  fifteen  one-hnn/lredthsj  bill,  above,  three  t       w.u  one-hundredth* 
inches. 

£ai.— United  States  generally. 

The  Night  Heron  is  pretty  generally  distributed  through- 
out New  England  as  a  summer  resident.  It  seems  to  pre- 
fer the  neighborhood  of  the  seacoast,  but  is  found  Jn  many 


kJ 


■^mmm^^mimmiimmsP' 


410 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


sections  quite  abundant  in  the  interior ;  as,  for  instance,  Dr. 
Wood  says,  "  I  know  of  a  swamp  some  fourteen  miles  from 
here  (East  Windsor  Hill,  Conn.)  where  thousands  breed."  — 
"  I  have  counted  eight  nests  on  one  maple-tree,"  &c.  This 
species  is  most  commonly  found  during  the  daytime  perch- 
ing in  high  trees  in  swamps  and  thick  woods,  and  seems  to 
feed  almost  entirely  by  night.  As  soon  as  it  begins  to  grow 
dark,  it  begins  its  flight ;  and  if  we  stand  in  a  large  meadow, 
or  by  a  pond  or  other  sheet  of  water,  we  may  sometimes 
hear  the  notes  of  several,  as  they  are  engaged  in  their 
search  for  prey.  The  call  of  this  bird  resembles  the  sylla- 
ble quack,  which  gives  the  bird  the  name  of  Squawk  in 
many  localities.  The  nest  of  this  species  is  placed  in  a  fork 
of  a  tree  in  a  swamp :  it  is  constructed  of  coarse  twigs  and 
leaves,  and  is  very  loosely  put  together.  As  above  remarked, 
several  of  these  structures  may  be  found  on  one  tree ;  and, 
after  the  young  are  hatched,  their  noise,  as  they  scream  for 
food,  is  almost  deafening.  I  once  visited  a  heron\y  of  this 
species  in  Dedham,  Mass.  As  many  as  a  hundred  pairs 
were  breeding  in  the  area  of  an  acre ;  and,  as  Wilson  truly 
says,  "  The  noise  of  the  old  and  young  would  almost  induce 
one  to  suppose  that  two  or  three  hundred  Indians  were 
choking  or  throttling  each  other." 

Another  larger  heronry  that  I  visited  last  season  in 
company  with  my  friends,  F.  G.  Sanborn  and  H.  A.  Purdie, 
occupied  an  area  of  several  acres.  The  locality  was  a 
swamp,  in  which  were  growing  cedar-trees.  These  were 
rarely  over  thirty  feet  in  height;  but  their  dense  and  twin- 
ing branches  were  occupied  often  by  the  nests  of  two  or 
three  pairs  in  a  single  tree.  The  reader  may  judge  as  to  the 
multitude  of  parent-birds  that  were  flying  in  wild  confusion 
over  our  heads,  and  may  fancy  the  effect  of  all  their  guttural 
We  ascended  to  a  number  of  the  nests,  and  found 


cnes. 


them  occupied  by  eggs,  both  freshly  laid  and  others,  far 
advanced  in  incubation,  and  chicks  from  one  day  old  to 
Bome  half  grown.    As  the  work  of  ascendmg  to  the  filthy 


f  '-■;  I 


THE  NIGHT   HERON. 


411 


instance,  Dr. 
n  miles  from 
is  breed."  — 
,"  &c.  This 
ytime  perch- 
nd  seems  to 
!gins  to  grow 
,rge  meadow, 
ly  sometimes 
ged  in  their 
es  the  sylla- 
f  Squawk  in 
ced  in  a  fork 
:8e  twigs  and 
ve  remarked, 
le  tree ;  and, 
ly  scream  for 
iron\y  of  this 
andred  pairs 
Wilson  truly 
ilmost  induce 
[ndians  were 

at  season  in 
a.  A.  Purdie, 
cality  was  a 

These  were 
tse  and  twin- 
its  of  two  or 
idge  as  to  the 
did  confusion 
their  guttural 
ts,  and  found 
d  others,  far 
le  day  old  to 

to  the  filthy 


.,  i 


nests  was  not  of  the  pleasantest,  we  limited  our  investiga- 
tions to  the  securing  of  a  few  of  the  most  recently  laid 
eggs. 

The  eggs  of  the  Night  Heron  are  laid  about  the  20th  of 
May.  They  are  usually  four  in  number,  and  their  general 
form  is  an  elongated  ovoidal.  In  a  great  number  of  speci- 
mens, the  color  is  generally  bluish-green,  sometimes  a  light 
peorgreen  or  greenish-yellow.  Their  dimensions  vary  from 
2.16  by  1.50  inch  to  2.05  by  1.40  inch.  About  the  latter 
part  of  August,  the  young  birds  are  foimd  in  deep  woods, 
and  by  many  are  esteemed  as  excellent  eating,  as  they  are 
plump  and  fat.    They  leave  for  the  South  early  in  October. 

Mr.  William  Endicott,  who  visited  the  same  heronry,  gives 
the  following  description  of  it :  "  The  first  thing  which 
called  the  attention  of  the  explorer  was  the  whiteness  of 
the  ground,  owing  to  the  excrements  of  the  birds ;  the  air 
hot  and  close  was  loaded  with  its  keen,  penetrating  odor  ; 
the  fine  particles  of  it,  floating  in  the  air  and  coming  in  con- 
tact with  the  perspiring  body,  made  one  smart  all  over. 
There  was  also  a  smell  of  the  decaying  fish  which  lay 
around ;  some  dropped  by  accident  by  the  old  birds  (who, 
I  believe,  never  stoop  to  pick  them  up  again),  and  much 
more  disgorged  when  their  tree  was  assailed.  These  fish 
were  mostly  such  as  could  not  be  obtained  in  the  ponds  and 
rivers.  I  once  saw  a  piece  of  a  pout,  and  once  a  fragment 
Of  a  pickerel,  but  most  of  the  remains  were  those  of  herrings. 
The  light-green  eggs  were  usually  four  in  number ;  but  I 
have  seen  five  and  six  repeatedly,  and  once  seven,  in  a  nest. 
The  young  are  downy,  poft,  helpless  things  at  first,  but  soon 
gain  strength  enough  to  climb  to  the  upper  branches,  where 
they  hang  on  with  bill  and  claws,  and  are  fed  by  their 
parents  till  nearly  full-grown." 


~-^- 


412 


OBNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


^    11- 


SUB-ORDER  GRALL^.    Waders. 

Featliera  of  the  head  and  neck  extending  over  the  entire  rhecks  to  the  bill ;  bill, 
when  much  longer  than  head,  slender  at  the  base ;  Bometimes  thick  and  shorter  than 
the  head;  young  running  about  and  feeding  themselves  as  soon  as  hatched. 

The  preceding  characteristics  indicate,  in  a  general  way,  tlie  characteristics  of 
the  GraUrn  aa  distinguished  from  the  Berodionei:  they  are  usually  much  smaller 
birds,  and  more  especially  inhabitants  of  the  open  sandy  shore.  Few  or  none  of  the 
species  nest  on  trees  or  bushes,  the  eggs  being  generally  laid  in  a  cavity  scooped 
out  in  the  sand. 

The  sub-order  is  divided  by  Bonaparte  into  two  tribes,  Curtorts  and  AUctoride* 
(by  Burmeister  into  Limicolm  and  Paludicola) :  the  flrst  having  the  hind  toe  elevated, 
small,  or  wanting;  the  second  having  it  lengthened,  and  inserted  on  a  level  with  the 
rest.    Additional  characters  are  as  follows:  — 

LiMicoLA  —  Species  living  on  the  shore  and  generally  probing  the  ground  or 
mud  in  search  of  food;  bill  and  legs  generally  lengthened  and  slender;  bill  hard  at 
tip,  soiler  and  more  contracted  at  base ;  anterior  toes  connected  at  baso  more  or  less 
by  membranes,  and  with  very  short  claws;  hind  toe  very  short,  elevated,  or  wanting; 
wings  long,  pointed ;  ouier  primaries  longest,  and  reaching  to  or  beyond  the  tip  of 
tail,  which  is  stiff. 

PaludicoLjB.  —  Species  living  in  marshy  places  among  the  grass,  feeding  from 
the  surface  of  the  ground;  bill  bard  to  its  base,  where  it  is  not  contracted;  toes  cleft 
to  the  base,  lengthened,  with  verj'  long  claws ;  hind  toe  lengthened,  and  on  same 
level  with  the  rest;  wing  short,  rounded,  not  reaching  the  tip  of  the  80t\  tail;  outer 
primaries  graduated. 

Tribe  Limicolm. 

Birds  living  on  the  ahoro  or  in  open  places,  usually  small  species,  with  rounded 
or  depressed  bodies,  and  slender  bills  of  variable  length,  having  a  more  or  less  dis- 
tinct homy  terminal  portion,  the  remainder  covered  with  soft  skin,  in  which  are 
situated  the  elongated,  narrow,  open,  and  distinct  nostrils;  the  feathers  of  the  head 
are  small,  and  extend  compactly  to  the  base  of  the  bill ;  they  are  similar  in  character 
to  those  of  the  neck  and  body ;  the  wings  are  long,  acute,  and,  when  folded,  reach- 
ing to  or  beyond  the  tip  of  the  tail;  the  posterior  or  inner  secondaries  are  generally 
as  long  as  the  outer  primaries;  the  primaries  are  ten  in  number;  the  three  outer 
longest  and  about  equal;  the  tail  is  stiff,  short,  broad,  and  rounded  or  graduated; 
the  feathers  usually  twelve,  sometimes  more;  the  legs  are  slender  nnd  delicate,  but 
corresponding  with  the  bill  in  proportions;  a  large  portion  of  the  tibia  below  is  bare 
of  feathers;  the  covering  of  the  legs  is  parchment-like,  not  homy,  generally  divided 
anterioi.y  and  behind  into  small  half  rings,  laterally  more  in  hexagons;  the  (.laws 
are  delicate,  sharp,  and  gently  curved;  the  hind  toe  is  very  small,  Kcarcely  touching 
the  ground;  sometimes  wanting;  there  is  usually  (except  in  Calidris,  Tringa,  &c.) 
a  rather  broad  basal  membrane  between  the  outer  and  middle  toes,  sometimes 
between  the  inner  and  middle;  this  web  occasionally  extends  toward  the  ends  of  the 

toes.  —  BURMEISTEK.l 

1  See  Introduction. 


"  'i 


ERS. 

!cks  to  the  bill ;  bill, 
lick  and  shorter  than 
as  hatched, 
lie  characteristics  of 
sually  much  smaller 
Few  or  none  of  the 
,  in  a  cavity  scooped 

torts  and  Alectoridet 
be  hind  toe  elevated, 
d  on  a  level  with  the 

:>bin(!;  the  ground  or 
lender;  bill  bard  at 
at  baso  more  or  less 
ilevated,  or  wiinting; 
or  beyond  the  tip  of 

e  grass,  feeding  fl-om 
rontracted ;  toes  cleft 
hened,  and  on  same 
r  the  soft  tail ;  outei 


pecies,  with  rounded 
;  a  more  or  less  dis- 
:  skin,  in  which  are 
reathers  of  the  head 
)  similar  in  character 
when  folded,  reach- 
daries  are  generally 
)er;  the  three  outer 
:inded  or  graduated ; 
ler  find  delicate,  but 
e  tibia  below  is  bare 
y,  generally  divided 
hexagons;  the  c<«ws 
.11,  scarcely  touching 
'(ilidrit,  Tringa,  &c.) 
die  toes,  sometimes 
ward  the  ends  of  the 


THE  GOLDEN   PLOVER. 


418 


Family  CHARADRIDJE.    The  Plovers. 

Bill  rather  cylindrical,  as  long  as  the  head,  or  shorter;  the  culmen  much  indented 
opposite  the  nostrils,  the  vaulted  apex  more  or  less  swollen  and  rising,  quite  distinct 
from  the  membranous  portion;  logs  elevated;  hind  toe  rarely  present,  and  then  rudi- 
mentary; the  outer  and  middle  toes  more  or  less  united  by  membrane. 

CHARADRIUS,  Lwn^us. 

Charadriui,  Likn^us,  Syst.  Nat  (1786). 

Plumage  yellowish-gray,  spotted ;  tail  transversely  banded ;  no  collar  on  neck; 
tarsi  and  lower  thighs  uniformly  reticulated. 

0HASADRIT7S  VISQINICUS.  —  JSorcfaitwen. 

The  Golden  Plover;  Bnll-head. 

CharadriiuplurialU,  Wilson.  Am.  Om.,  VIL  (1818)  71.  Nutt.  Man.,  IL  (1884)  16. 
Aud.  Om.  Diog.,  IIL  (1835)  628. 

Charadriiu  Virffimcut, "  Borckausen  and  Bechstein."    Licht.  Verz.  Doubl.  (1823). 
Charadriut  nuirmoratui,  Audubon.    Orn.  Biog.,  V.  (1889)  675. 

Description. 

Bill  rather  short;  legs  moderate;  wings  long;  no  hind  toe;  tarsus  covered  before 
and  behind  with  small  circular  or  hexagonal  scales;  upper  parts  brownish-black, 
with  numerous  small  circular  and  irregular  spots  of  golden-yellow,  most  numerous 
on  the  back  and  rump,  and  on  the  upper  tail  coverts,  assuming  the  form  of  trans- 
verse bonds  generally;  also  with  some  spote  of  ashy-white;  entire  under  parts 
black,  with  a  brownish  or  bronzed  lustre,  under  tail  coverts  mixed  or  barred  with 
white;  forehead,  border  of  the  black  of  the  neck,  under  tail  coverts,  and  tibial,  white; 
axillary  feathers  cinereous;  quills,  dark-brown;  middle  portion  of  the  shafts  white, 
frequently  extending  slightly  to  the  webs,  and  forming  longitudinal  stripes  on  the 
shorter  quills;  tail  dark-brown,  with  numerous  irregular  bands  of  ashy-white,  and 
frequently  tinged  with  golden-yellow;  bill  black;  legs  dark  bluish-brown. 

rounder.  —  Under  parts  dull-ashy,  spotted  with  brownish  on  the  neck  and 
breast,  frequently  more  or  less  mixed  with  black;  many  spots  of  the  upper  parta 
dull  ashy-white;  other  spots,  especially  on  the  rump,  golden-yellow. 

Total  length,  about  nine  and  a  half  inches;  wing,  seven  inches;  tail,  two  and  a 
half  inches. 

ifa*.  —  All  of  North  America,  South  America,  Northern  Asia,  Enrope. 

THIS  beautiful  and  well-known  bird  passes  through  New 
England  in  the  spring  and  fall  migrations,  but  does  not 
pause  here,  in  either,  longer  than  two  or  three  days.  It 
arrives  from  the  South  about  the  25th  of  April  or  Ist  of 
May,  in  small  flocks  of  fifteen  or  twenty,  and  frequents  the 


jjiBiiiieiniiiniiwrwmi 


L 


414 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


boach  on  the  seashore  and  marshes  in  its  neighborhood, 
where  it  feels  on  small  shcll-fish  and  animulculos,  and  such 
seeds  as  it  may  find  at  that  early  season.    It  is,  at  this 
period,  thin  in  flesh,  but  its  plumage  is  perfect ;  and  it  is 
more  desirable  for  cabinet  preservation  then   than  in  the 
fall.     It  is  irregular  in  its  visits  in  the  spring  migrations ; 
being  quite  plenty  in  some  seasons,  and  in  others  quite  rare. 
It  passes  to  the  most  northern  portions  of  the  continent  to 
breed ;  none  being  found  in  the  season  of  incubation  in  tho 
limits  of  the  United  States.     The  flocks  separate  into  pairs ; 
but  they  breed  in  small  communities,  two  or  three  pairs 
being  found  in  the  area  of  an  acre.     The  nest  is  not^    ig 
but  a  hollow  in  the  grass  or  moss,  on   the  open  pi.    i, 
scratched  by  the  female:    in  this  she  deposits  four  eggs, 
which  are  oblong-pyriform  in  shape,  of  a  crearay-buflF  color, 
sometimes  with  an  olive  tint ;  and  are  marked  irregularly, 
chiefly  at  their  larger  end,  with  spots  and  confluent  blotches 
of  umber  and  obscure  spots  of  lilac.     In  dimensions,  they 
average  about  2.10  by  1.40  inch.     It  is  in  the  fall  migra- 
tions that  these  birds  are  most  actively  pursued  by  sports- 
men.    The  great  flight  arrives  about  the  25th  of  August, 
sometimes  a  little  earlier  or  later,  if  we  have  a  driving 
north-east  storm.     The  gunners  make  it  a  point  to  be  on  the 
plover  grounds  tho  last  week  in  August  and  first  week  in 
September :  if  they  get  no  plovers  then,  they  usually  aban- 
don the  hunt  for  the  season.    In  the  fall  of  1865,  these 
birds  did  not  alight  in  New  England  in  any  numbers,  but 
were  seen  seven  or  eight  miles  out  at  sea,  flying  at  a  great 
height,  in  immense  flocks,  towards  the  South,  and  not  a 
dozen  birds  were  killed  in  localities  where  thousands  are 
usually  taken.    When  the  flights  are  conducted  during  a 
storm,  the  birds  fly  low ;  and  the  gunners,  concealed  in  pits 
dug  in  the  earth  in  the  pastures  and  hills  over  which  the 
flocks  pass,  with  decoys  made  to  imitate  the  birds,  placed 
within  gunshot  of  their  hiding-places,  decoy  the  passing 
flocks  down  within  reach  of  their  fowling-pieces,  by  imitat- 


m 


MM 


iftliP^'^^^^ 


leii 


THE  KILL-PEER  PLOVEH. 


416 


ing  their  peculiar  whistle,  and  kill  great  numbers  of  them. 
I  have  known  two  sportsmen  to  bag  sixty  dozen  in  two  days' 
shooting ;  and  instances  are  on  record  of  still  greater  num- 
bers being  secured.  The  flesh  of  this  bird  is  very  delicate 
and  fine-flavored ;  and  the  birds  are  in  groat  demand  in  all 
our  markets,  bringing  equally  high  prices  with  the  favorite 
Woodcock.  The  Golden  Plover  feeds  on  grasshoppers, 
various  insects,  and  berries,  but  is  seldom  found  in  tlie  inte- 
rior of  Now  England  ;  the  pastures,  fields,  sandy  hills,  and 
dry  islands  near  the  seacoast,  being  its  favorite  resorts. 

iEGIALITIS,  BoiE. 

JEgialitit,  BoiE,  Isis  (1822),  658.    (Tj-pe  Charadriut  hiaticula,  L.) 
Plumage  more  or  less  uniform,  without  spots;  neck  and  head  generally  with 
dark  bands;  front  of  the  legs  with  plates  arranged  vertically,  of  which  there  are 
two  or  three  In  a  transverse  series.  .  ^   ^  ,        rn. 

This  genua,  as  far  as  North  America  is  concerned,  is  distinguished  from  Cftaro- 
drxm  by  the  generally  lighter  color  and  greater  uniformity  of  the  plumage,  by  the 
absence  of  continuous  black  on  the  belly,  and  by  the  presence  of  dusky  bands  on 
the  neck  or  head ;  the  size  is  smaller ;  the  tarsi,  in  most  species,  have  the  front  plates 
larger,  and  conspicuously  different  in  this  respect  from  the  posterior  ones. 

JEOIALITIS  V0C1FEEU3.— CoMin. 
The  Kill-deer  Plover. 

Charadnu*  ^feru,,  Linn»us.  Syst.  Nat.,  L  (1766)  253.  Wils.  Am.  On..,  VII 
(1813)  73.  Nutt  Man.,  II.  22.  Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  III.  (1885)  191;  V.  577.  lb., 
Syn.,  222.    Jb.,  Birds  Am.,  V.  (1842)  207. 

JCgialtu  voci/enu,  Bonaparte.    List  (1838). 

Description. 
Wings  long,  reaching  to  the  end  of  the  tail,  which  is  also  rather  long;  head  above 
and  upper  parts  of  body  light-hrown  with  a  greenish  tinge;  rump  and  upper  ta.l 
coverts  rufous,  lighter  on  the  latter;  front  and  lines  over  and  under  the  eye  white; 
another  band  of  black  in  front  above  the  white  band;  stripe  from  the  base  of  the 
bill  towards  the  occiput  brownish-black;  ring  encircling  the  neck  and  wide  band  on 
the  breast  black;  throat  white,  which  color  extends  upwards  around  the  neck; 
other  under  parts  white;  quills  brownish-black  with  about  half  of  their  inner  webs 
white,  shorter  primaries  with  a  large  spot  of  white  on  their  outer  webs  secondaries 
widely  tipped  or  edged  with  white;  tail  feathers  pale-rufous  at  base;  the  four  mid- 
dle light  olive-brown  tipped  with  white,  and  with  a  wide  subterminal  band  of  black ; 
Uteral  feathers  widely  tipped  with  white;  entire  upper  plumage  frequently  edged 


41.:^...^^^ 


416 


OnNITHOLOOY  AND   OOLOGY. 


•nd  iipvA  with  rufou.;  very  young  have  upper  p«rf«  light-gray,  with  a  longitudinal 
band  nn  tho  head  and  l)ack,  black ;  under  partii  white.  ^ 

Total  length,  about  nlno  and  a  half  inches;  wing,  «ix  and  a  half  Incheai  W... 
three  and  a  half  inches. 

//(i«.  — North  America  to  the  Arctic  regions,  Mexico,  South  America. 

This  species  is  pretty  generally  distributed  throughout 
New  England  as  a  summer  resident.  It  is  not  common  in 
any  localities,  but  seems  to  be  found  in  pairs  all  along  our 
seacoast ;  and,  although  occasionally  breeding  in  the  inte- 
rior of  these  States,  in  the  neighborhood  of  large  tracts  of 
water,  it  is  almost  exclusively  found,  during  tho  greater 
part  of  tho  year,  in  moist  fields  and  meadows  and  sandy 
pastures,  within  a  few  miles  of  the  sea.  Wilson  describes 
its  habii<*  as  follows  :  — 

««  This  restless  and  noisy  bird  is  known  to  almost  every  inhabi- 
tant of  tho  United  States,  being  a  common  and  pretty  constant 
resident.     During  the  severity  of  the  winter,  when  snow  covers 
the  ground,  it  retreats  to  the  seashore,  where  it  is  found  at  all 
seasons;   but  no  sooner  have  the  rivers  opened,  than  ite  shrill 
note  is  again  heard,  either  roaming  obout  high  in  air,  tracing  the 
shore  of  the  river,  or  rr  ining  amidst  the  watery  flats  and  meadows. 
As  spring  advances,  it  n  sorts  to  the  newly  ploughed  fields,  or  level 
plains  bare  of  grass,  int  rspersed  with  shallow  pools ;  or,  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  sea,  dry,  bare,  sandy  fields.    In  some  such  situation 
it  generally  chooses  to  breed,  about  the  beginnmg  of  May.     The 
nest  is  usually  slight,  a  mere  hollow,  with  such  materials  drawn  in 
around  it  as  happen  to  be  near,  such  as  bits  of  sticks,  straw,  peb- 
bles, or  earth.     In  one  instance,  I  found  the  nest  of  the  bird 
paved  with  fragments  of  clam  and  oyster  shells,  and  very  neatly 
surrounded  with  a  mound,  or  border,  of  the  same,  placed  in  a  very 
close  and  curious  manner.    In  some  cases,  there  is  no  vestige 
whatever  of  a  nest.    The  eggs  are  usually  four,  of  a  bright  rich 
cream  or  yellowish-clay  color,  thickly  marked  with  blotches  of 
black.     They  are  large  for  the  size  of  the  bird,  measuring  more 
than  an  inch  and  a  half  in  length,  and  a  full  inch  in  width,  taper- 
ing  to  a  narrow  point  at  the  great  end. 

"Nothing  can  exceed  tho  alarm  and  anxiety  of  these  birds 
during  the  breeding  season.    Their  cries  of  kill-deer,  MU-deer,  as 


r> 


THE   KILb-DEER  PLOVER. 


417 


they  winnow  tl.c  air  overhca.1,  dive  and  course  "l--'^ /-^^'J^ 

inL  Hu,  ifround  counterfeiting  lamenew,  are  Bhrill  and  .ncc8«ant. 

T^^lriy  see  a  per  ^approach,  they  fly  or  run  to  attack 

»L  with  their  harassing  clamor,  continuing  it  over  so  wide  an 

LZe  dawn  it  appears  probabl-  that  they  see  better  at  such  times 

tW  mo  t  o"     eilUe.'  They  arc  known  U>  fbed  -oh  on  worm. 

Ind  many  of   these  rise  to  the  surfhce  during  the  n.ght     The 

lwUn7of  Owls  mav  also  alarm  their  fears  for  their  young  at 
prowling  ot  uw  .  ^^^  ^^^^^^  ^,^^  ^^^^^  ^,,  3^. 

'''::^'::ii^^^:LL  abuLnt  m  the  Southern  States  in  win 
t.r  than  in  summer.     Among  the  rice-fieldB.  and  even  around  the 
plants'  yard^  in  South  Carolina,  I  observod  them  very  nuinerous 
thTmonths  Lf  February  and  March      There  the  -gro^a  fre- 
quently practise  the  barbarous  mode  of  catching  them  with  a  line, 
at  te  extremity  of  which  is  a  crooked  pin,  with  a  worm  on  it 
Thdr  fl  ght  is  something  like  that  of  the  Torn,  but  more  vigorou  , 
and  they  sometimes  rise  to   a   great  height  m  the  air     They 
a^e  fond  of  wading  in  pools  of  water,  and  frequently  bathe  tlem- 
iv  s  durLl  he  fummer.     They  usually  stand  erect  on  their  le^ 
and  run  or  walk  with  the  body  in  a  stiff,  hori.onUl  position  :  they 
run  with  great  swiftness,  and  are  also  strong  and  vigorous  -the 
Tngs.    Tlleir  flesh  is  eaten  by  some,  but  i.  not  m  g-«-  ;;^;-; 
Lugh  others  say,  that,  in  the  fall,  whe.  they  become  very  fat,  it 

^  rSln^g  the  extrem^droughts  of  summer,  these  birds  r^ort  to 
the  gravelly  channel  of  brooks  and  shallow  streams  where  they  can 
TJe  abouf  in  search  of  aquatic  insects:  at  the  close  of  summer 
ley  generally  descend  to  the  seashore  in  small  flocks,  seldom  more 
tii  fen  or  tw'elve  being  seen  together.  They  are  then  more  serene 
and  silent,  as  well  as  difficult  to  be  approached. 

The  eggs  of  this  species  are  four  in  number.    They  are 
oblong-pyriform  in  shape,  creatny-buff  in  color,  with  nuiner 


J 


418 


OBNITHOLOOY   AND   OOLOOY. 


0U8  s»pots  and  blotchoH  of  dark-brown,  chieHy  at  thoir  greater 
end.  They  vary  in  dimenBions  from  1.65  by  1.10  inch  to 
1.50  by  1.08  inch ;  but  one  brood  is  reared  in  tlie  aoason. 

aOlALITW  WII.80KlU8.-(Orrf.)  Cawin. 
Wllioa'i  PloT«r;  Einj-neck. 
Ckaradriu,  Wit^iu,,  Ord.  Ed.  Wil..  Om..  IV.  (1825)  77.    Nutt   Man.,  II. 
(1884)  21.    Aud.  Orn.  UioK-.  HI-  (1886)  78,  V.  (1889)  677.    Jb.,  Uird.  Am.,  V. 

<"")"*•  D..c».rr,o«. 

Smaller  th«n  the  preceding!  bill  rather  long  .ndrobu.t  fr„„,  ^uk 

Jtfo/*.- Front,  and  .trl,«  over  the  eye,  and  entire  under  p«rt«,  white  i  fr°"'* '«> 
a  second  band  of  blank  above  the  white  band;  Mripe  (W,m  the  ba.c  of  'ho  bill  to  h. 
eye  and  wide  tran.verse  band  on  the  breaat,  browni.h-biack ;  upper  part,  of  head 
and  body  light  a.hy-brown,  with  the  feather,  frequently  edged  and  tipped  with  p»l«- 
Lhyi  bLk  of  the  neck  encircled  with  a  ring  of  white,  edged  above  w.th  t  no  hght- 
reddi.h,  quill,  brown,  with  white  .haft.,  .horter  covert,  tipped  w,th  white;  outer 
feathen,  of  the  tail  white,  middle  feather.  dark-br»wn;  bill  l)iack,  leg.  y-^ow. 

SI  -Without  the  band  of  black  in  front,  and  with  the  pectoral  band  duU- 
reddi.h  and  light  a.hy-brown ;  iri.  reddi.h-brown. 

Total  length,  wven  and  three  quarter  inche.;  wmg,  four  and  a  half  inche.,  Uil, 

**°fl'^!'-Middle  and  Southern  SUt«.  on  the  AUanUc,  and  the  .ame  .oaat  of  South 
America. 

This  species  is  found  in  New  England  only  as  a  somewhat 
rare  visitor  in  the  autumn,  after  it  has  reared  its  young  m  a 
more  soutliern  locality.  1  think  that  it  seldom  passes  north 
of  the  southern  coast  of  Cape  Cod;  but  it  is  there  occa- 
sionally seen  in  the  early  part  of  September,  gleaning  its 
food  of  aniraalculffl  and  small  shell-fish  and  insects  on  the 
sandy  beach  of  the  ocean. 

Tiie  Wilson's  Plover  is  more  southern  in  its  habits  than 
either  of  the  succeeding  species;  but 'it  breeds  abundantly 
on  the  seacoast  of  New  Jersey.  The  nest  is  nothing  but  a 
hollow  scratched  in  the  sand,  above  high-water  mark,  with 
a  few  bits  of  seaweed  or  grass  for  its  lining.  The  eggs  are 
laid  about  the  first  week  in  June.  They  are,  like  those 
of  the  other  Waders,  pyriform  in  shape;  and,  when  placed 
in  the  nest,  their  small  ends  are  together  in  the  middle  ol 
the  nest.    They  almost  exactly  resemble  the  eggs  of  tlie 


€% 


i« 


THE   HEMII'ALMATEh   PLOVEIl. 


419 


Kill-dcor  Plover,  but  are  Boino  littlo  smaller;  varying  ia 
dimcnBioiiB  from  1.40  by  1.05  to  1.34  by  1.02  incli.  The 
spots  and  markings  are  similar  to  those  of  the  other,  hvi 
are  loss  thicitly  distributod :  some  s|)0<:imen8  have  obscure 
spots  of  purple  and  lilac,  and  the  brown  spots  vary  from 
quite  blackiah  to  the  color  of  raw-umber. 


aOlAUTIS   3EMIPALMATU3,  — (Son.)  Cabanii. 

Tba  Semipalmated  PloTtr;  Blng-neek. 

Ckaradriui  $tmipalmatut,  Nuttall.    Man.,  II.  34.    Aud.  Om.  Blog.,  IV.  (1888) 
888;  V.  670.     Jb.,  Birds  Am.,  V.  (1843)  '218. 
j£</ialles  lemipaimata,  Bonaparte.     List  (1888). 
jKijialitU  iemijxilmntvt,  Cabanii.    Cab.  Joum.  (1888),  438. 
Tringa  hhticuh,  Wilnon.    Am.  Om.,  VII.  (1818)  66. 

Drsckiption. 

Smoll;  wings  long;  toea  connected  at  base,  especially  the  outer  to  the  middle 
toe;  front,  throat,  ring  arotiud  the  neck,  and  entire  under  parU,  wliite;  a  band  of 
deep-black  across  the  breast,  extending  around  the  back  of  the  neck  below  the  white 
ring;  band  from  the  base  of  the  bill,  under  the  eye,  and  wide  frontal  band  above 
the  white  band,  black;  upper  parts  light  ashy-brown,  with  a  tinge  of  olive;  quills 
brownish-black,  with  their  shafts  white  in  a  middle  portion,  and  occasionally  a  lan- 
ceolate white  spot  along  the  shafts  of  the  shorter  primaries;  shorter  tertiarics  edged 
with  white ;  lesser  coverts  tipped  with  white ;  middle  feathers  of  the  tail  ashy  olive- 
brown,  with  a  wide  subterminal  band  of  brownish-black,  and  narrowly  tipped  with 
white ;  two  outer  tail  feathers  white,  others  intermediate,  like  the  middle,  but  widely 
tipped  with  white ;  bill  orange-yellow,  tipped  with  black ;  legs  yellow.  Female  simi- 
lar, but  rather  lighter-colored.  Young  without  the  black  band  in  front,  and  with 
the  band  across  the  breast  ashy-brown;  iris,  dark -hazel. 

Total  length,  about  seven  inches;  wing,  four  and  three-quarters  inches;  tail,  two 
and  a  quarter  inches. 

.fliii.— The  whole  of  temperate  North  America;  common  on  the  Atlantic. 

This  pretty  and  well-known  species  is  abundant  in  New 
England  in  the  spring  and  fall  migrations.  It  arrives  from 
the  South  by  the  letter  part  of  April,  in  small  flocks  of 
eight  or  ten  individuals ;  some  following  the  course  of  large 
rivers,  like  the  Connecticut ;  others  haunting  the  shores  of 
large  ponds  aud  meadows ;  but  the  greater  number  follow- 
ing the  seacoast,  where  they  feed,  like  the  others  of  this 
genus,  on  small  crustaceans,  shell-fish,  and  the  eggs  of  fish 
and  other  marine  animals. 


4-.. 


420 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


Although  I  found  a  single  pair  with  their  nest  on  the 
island  of  Muskegeet,  Mass,  in  June,  1866,  this  bird  gener- 
ally  breeds  in  the  most  northern  parts  of  the  contnient. 
Audubon,  in  describing  its  breeding  habits,  says,— 

"  As  soon  as  one  of  us  was  noticed  by  a  Ring  Plover,  it  would 
at  once  sUnd  still,  and  become  silent.     If  we  did  the  same,  it 
continued,  and  seldom  failed  to  wear  out  our  patience.     If  we 
advanced,  it  would  lower  itself,  and  squat  on  the  moss  or  bare  rock 
until  approached,  when  it  would  suddenly  rise  on  its  feet,  droop  its 
wings,  depress  its  head,  and  run  with  great  speed  to  a  considerable 
distance;  uttering,  all  the  while,  a  low  rolling  and  querulous  cry, 
very  pleasing  to  the  ear.    On  being  surprised  when  m  charge  of 
their  young,  they  would  open  their  wings  to  the  full  extent,  and 
beat  the  ground  with  their  extremities,  as  if  unable  to  rise.     It 
pursued,  they  allowed  us  to  come  within  a  few  feet,  then  took  flight, 
and  attempted  to  decoy  us  away  from  their  young,  which  lay  so 
close  that  we  very  seldom  discovered  them;  but  which,  on  being 
traced,  ran  swiftly  off,  uttering  a  plaintive  peep,  often  repeated, 
that  never  failed  to  bring  their  parents  to  their  aid.     At  Labrador, 
the  Rin^  Plovf^r  begins  to  breed  in  the  beginning  of  June.     Like 
the  PipLg  Plover,  it  forms  no  nest;  but,  whilst  the  latter  scoops  a 
pla«e  in  the  sand  for  its  eggs,  the  Ring  Plover  forms  a  similar 
cavity  in  the  moss,  in  a  place  sheltered  from  the  north  winds,  and 
exposed  to  the  full  rays  of  the  sun,  usually  near  the  margins  of 
small  ponds  formed  by  the  melting  of  the  snow,  and  surrounded  by 
short  grass.    The  eggs,  like  those  of  all  the  family,  are  four,  and 
placed  with  the  small  ends  together.    They  are  broad  at  tne  larger 
end,  rather  sharp  at  the  other;   measure  \\  inch  m  length,  H 
inches  in  their  greatest  breadth;  are  of  a  dull-yellowish  color, 
irregularly  blotched  and  spotted  all  over  with  dark-brown  of  dif- 
ferent tints." 

Early  in  September,  sometimes  by  the  20th  of  August, 
small  flocks  of  these  birds  appear  in  New  England,  and 
tliey  remain  here  as  late  as  the  first  week  in  October  :  they 
are  now  fat  and  delicate,  and  are  esteemed  excellent  for  the 
table. 


% 


OU  tll9 

i  gener- 
iiitiuent. 


,  it  would 
same,  it 
!.     If  we 
bare  rock 
droop  its 
nsiderable 
ulous  cry, 
charge  of 
xtent,  and 
I  rise.     If 
took  flight, 
lich  lay  so 
,  on  being 
1  repeated, 
Labrador, 
ine.     Like 
er  scoops  a 
3  a  similar 
winds,  and 
margins  of 
rounded  by 
•e  four,  and 
t  the  larger 
I  length,  IJ 
iwish  color, 
own  of  dif- 


of  August, 
gland,  aud 
ober:  they 
lent  for  the 


-♦^^ 


THE  PIPING  PLOVEB. 


£GIALITIS    UELODnS.  —  (  Ortf.)  CabanU. 


421 


The  Piping  Plover. 

Charadrius  meWw,  Nutlall.  Man.,  II.  18.  Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  III.  (1886)  164; 
V.  678. 

jEgiaUet  metodu$,  Bonaparte.     List  (1838). 
jEgialitii  melodus,  Cabanis.    Jour.  (1858),  424. 
Charadrius  hiaticula.    Wils.  Am.  Om.,  V.  (1812)  80. 

Desckiption. 

About  the  size  of  the  preceding;  bill  short,  strong. 

Adult.  —  FoTe\\e&i,  ring  around  the  back  of  the  neck,  and  entire  under  parts, 
white,  a  band  of  black  in  front  above  tl;e  band  of  white;  band  encircling  the  neck 
before  ond  behind  black,  immediately  below  the  ring  of  white  on  the  neck  behind; 
head  above,  and  upper  parts  of  body,  light  brownish-cinereous;  rump  and  upper  tail 
coverts  lighter,  and  often  nearly  white;  quills  dark-brown,  with  a  large  portion  of 
their  inner  webs  and  shafts  white;  shorter  primaries  with  a  large  portion  of  their 
outer  webs  white;  tail  at  base  white,  and  with  the  outer  feathers  white;  middle 
feathers  with  a  wide  subterminal  band  of  brownish-black,  and  tipped  with  white; 
bill  orange  at  base,  tipped  with  black;  legs  orange-yellow. 

Female.  —  Similar  to  the  male,  but  with  the  dark  colors  lighter  and  less  in  extent. 

Young.  —  No  black  band  in  front;  collar  around  the  back  of  the  neck  ashy- 
brown;  iris  brown. 

Total  length,  about  seven  inches;  wing,  four  and  a  half  inches;  tail,  two  inches. 

Bab.  —  Eastern  coast  of  North  America;  Nebraska  (Lieut.  Warren);  Louisiana 
(Mr.  G.  Wurdemann). 

This  pretty  and  well-known  species  is  pretty  abundantly 
distributed  along  the  coast  of  New  England  as  a  summer 
resident.  It  arrives  from  the  South  about  the  20th  of  April 
in  small  flocks,  and  soon  selects  its  breeding-residence  on 
some  tract  of  ocean  beach ;  dividing,  early  in  May,  into  pairs, 
which,  however,  associate  somewhat  together  through  the 
whole  season.  It  occasionally  penetrates  into  the  interior, 
and  has  been  known  to  breed  on  the  borders  of  a  pond 
twenty  miles  from  the  seaboard ;  but  generally,  in  New  Eng- 
land, it  seldom  wanders  far  from  the  shore,  where  it  is  one 
of  the  most  beautiful  and  interesting  of  our  Waders. 

It  seems  to  prefer  sandy  islands  a  short  distance  from  the 
main  land  for  its  breeding-place.  I  have  found  numbers 
breeding  on  the  island  of  Muskegeet,  oflF  the  southern  coast 
of  Massachusetts,  and  have  found  it  on  many  others  of  our 
islands  of  similar  character. 


422 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


The  nest  is  nothing  but  a  hollow  in  the  sand  scraped  by 
the  female  bird :  it  sometimes  has  a  slight  lining  of  pieces 
of  grass  or  seaweed ;  but  usually  the  eggs  are  deposited  on 
the  bare  sand.  These  are  four  in  number,  abruptly  pyri- 
form  in  shape,  and  a  beautiful  light  creamy-buff  in  color, 
with  thinly  scattered  spots  of  black  and  brown,  and  some- 
times a  few  obscure  spots  of  lilac.  They  average  smaller  in 
size  than  either  of  the  preceding,  varying  from  1.30  by  1  inch 
to  1.20  by  .95  inch  in  dimensions.  They  do  not  resemble 
the  others,  being  much  more  finely  marked ;  and  their  small 
ends  are  more  rounded. 

The  breeding  habits  and  general  characteristics  of  this 
so  much  resemble  those  of  the  preceding  species  that  the 
same  remarks  will  apply  to  both. 


SQUATAROLA,  Cuvieb. 

Bqmtaroh,  Cuvieb,  Rfegno  Anim.,  L  (1817).    (Type  Tringa  tgmtaroh,  Linn.) 
A  rudimentan-  hind  toe;  legs  reticulated,  with  elongated  hexagons  anteriorly,  of 

which  there  are  five  or  six  in  a  transverse  row;  fewer  behind;  first  primary  longest; 

tail  slightly  rounded. 

SQUATABOLA   HELVETICA.  —  Ouw«r. 
Th6  Blaci-bellied  Plover. 

Tringa  helvetica,  Linnseus.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1766)  260. 
Squatarola  helvetica.    Cnvier,  R.  A.,  (1817). 

aaradnu,  helveticw,  Audubon.    Om.  Biog.,  IV.  (1888)  280.    lb.,  Birds  Amer., 
V.  (1742)  199. 

Charadriui  apricaritu,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  VII.  (1818)  41. 

DBSCRIPnON. 

.  BiU  and  legs  strong;  wings  long;  a  yery  small  rudimentary  hind  toe;  around  the 
base  of  the  bill  to  the  eyes,  neck  before  and  under  parts  of  body,  black;  upper 
white,  nearly  pure  and  unspotted  on  the  forehead;  sides  of  the  neck  and  rump  tinged 
with  tt!>hy,  and  having  irregular  transverse  bars  of  brownish-black  on  the  back, 
scapulars,  and  wing  coverU;  the  brownish-black  frequently  predominating  on  those 
parts,  and  the  rump  also  frequently  with  transverse  bars  of  the  same;  lower  part  of 
the  abdomen,  tibia,  and  under  tail  coverts,  white;  quills  brownish-black,  lighter  on 
their  inner  webs,  with  a  middle  portion  of  their  shafts  white,  and  a  narrow  longi- 
tudinal stripe  of  white  frequently  on  the  shorter  primaries  and  secondaries;  tail 
white,  with  transverse  imperfect  narrow  bands  of  black;  bill  and  legs  black;  the 
black'color  of  the  under  parU  generally  with  a  bronzed  or  coppery  lustre,  and  pre- 


V 


1 


•aped  by 
}f  pieces 
)sited  on 
)tly  pyri- 
in  color, 
id  some- 
nailer  in 
by  1  inch 
resemble 
eir  small 

IS  of  tbis 
that  the 


rola,  Linn.) 
anteriorly,  of 
aaiy  longest; 


Birds  Amer., 


«;  around  the 
black;  upper 
i  rump  tinged 
on  the  back, 
at.ing  on  those 
lower  part  of 
ick,  lighter  on 
narrow  longi- 
ondaries ;  tail 
!gs  black ;  the 
istre,  and  pre- 


^ 


i 


THE   BLACK-BKLLIED   PLOVER. 


423 


senting  a  scale-like  appearance;  the  brownish-black  of  the  upper  parts  with  • 

greenish  lustre. 

Younyer  and  winter  plumage.  — Entire  upper  parts  dark-brown,  with  circular 
and  irregular  small  spots  of  white,  and  frequently  of  yellow,  most  numerous  on 
the  wing  coverts;  upper  tail  coverU  white;  under  parts  white,  with  short  longi- 
tudinal lines  and  spots  dark  brownish-cinereous  on  the  neck  and  breast;  quills  brown- 
ish-black, with  large  longitudinal  spots  of  white  on  their  inner  webs,  and  also  on  the 
outer  webs  of  the  shorter  primaries. 

Foun^.  — Upper  parts  lighter,  and  with  the  white  spots  more  irregular  or 
scarcely  assuming  a  circular  shape;  narrow  lines  on  the  neck  and  breast  more 
numerous;  iris  black. 

Total  length,  about  eleven  and  a  half  inches;  wings,  seven  and  a  half  mches; 

tail,  three  inches. 

Hab.— An  of  North  America.    The  seacoasto  of  nearly  all  countnes  of  the 

world. 

This  bpi'utiful  bird  is  almost  of  the  same  habits  and 
characteristics  as  the  Golden  Plover  described  on  a  preced- 
ing page.  It  arrives  and  departs  at  nearly  the  same  time 
in  spring,  and,  like  that  species,  breeds  in  the  most  northern 
sections  of  the  continent.  Wilson,  in  speaking  of  its  breed- 
ing in  Pennsylvania,  says, — 

"  This  bird  is  known  in  some  parts  of  the  country  by  the  name 
of  the  Large  Whistling  Field  Plover.  It  generally  makes  its  first 
appearance  in  Pennsylvania  late  in  April ;  frequents  the  countries 
towards  the  mountains;  seems  particularly  attached  to  newly 
ploughed  fields,  where  it  forms  its  nest  of  a  few  slight  materials,  as 
slightly  put  together.  The  female  lays  four  eggs,  large  for  the 
size  of  the  bird,  of  a  light-olive  color,  dashed  with  black,  and  has 
frequently  two  broods  in  the  same  season.  It  is  an  extremely  shy 
and  watchful  bird,  though  clamorous  during  breeding-time." 

About  the  10th  or  15th  of  September,  or  a  fortnight  later 
than  the  Golden  Plover,  it  returns  on  its  southern  migra- 
tion; and  the  same  means  are  employed  for  its  destruc- 
tion as  for  that  bird :  these  birds  are  called  by  the  gunners 
by  the  name  of  Beetle-heads,  and  are  esteemed  as  being 
nearly  as  palatable  and  delicate  as  the  other  species. 


h 


424 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


5; 


Familt  H^MATOPODIDiE.    The  Otsteb-catchebs. 

Bill  M  long  08  the  head,  or  twice  as  long,  compressed;  culmen  but  litU« 
indented,  and  the  bill  not  vaulted  beyond  the  nostrils,  which  are  quite  basal. 

HiEMATOPUS,  LI1IN.BU8. 

HcBmatqput,  Linn.«U8,  Syst.  Nat.  (1785).  (Type  U.  Ostralegiu,  L.) 
Bill  longer  than  the  leg,  twice  as  long  as  the  head ;  mandibles  much  compressed, 
sharp-edged,  and  truncate  at  end;  hind  toe  wanting;  legs  reticulated,  with  five  or 
six  elongated  plates  in  a  transverse  series;  meshes  larger  anteriorly;  a  basal  mem- 
brane between  middle  and  outer  toes;  toes  enlarged  laterally  by  a  thickened 
membrane;  tail  even;  first  primary  longest 

HJEMATOPUS  PALLIATUS.— Temm. 

The  Oyster-eatoher. 

Hcemaioinu  patKalm,  Temm.  Man.,  II.  (1820)  632.  Aud.  Cm.  Biog.,  III. 
(1886)  181;  V.  680.    lb.,  Birds  Am.,  V.  (1842)  236. 

H<BmaUjm  ottrakgut,  Wilson.    Am.  Cm.,  VIII.  (1814)  15. 

Description. 

Bill  long,  straight,  flattened  vertically;  wing  long;  tail  short;  legs  moderate, 
rather  robust;  toes  margined;  outer  and  middle  united  at  base;  head  and  neck 
brownish-black,  with  a  slight  ashy  tinge  in  very  mature  specimens;  upper  parts  of 
body  light  ashy-brown,  rather  darker  on  the  rump;  upper  tail  coverts  and  wide 
diagonal  band  across  the  wing  white;  quills  brownish-black;  tail  feathers  at  base 
white,  with  their  terminating  half  brownish-black;  under  parts  of  body  and  under 
wing  coverts  white;  bill  and  edgS  of  eyelids  bright  orange-red;  legs  pale-reddibh; 
iris  bright-yellow. 

Total  length,  about  seventeen  and  a  half  inches ;  wing,  ten ;  tail,  four  and  a  half; 
bill  to  gape,  three  and  a  half;  tarsus,  two  and  a  quarter  inches. 

THIS  bird  is  of  rare  occurrence  on  the  seacoast  of  New 
England  as  a  summer  visitor.  I  am  not  aware  that  it 
breeds  here ;  but  it  may,  as  it  is  said  to  be  found  all  along 
our  const  from  Maine  to  Florida.  Wilson,  in  describing  its 
habits,  says, — 

"The  Oyster-catcher  frequents  the  sandy  sea-beach  of  New 
Jersey,  and  other  parts  of  our  Atlantic  coast,  in  summer,  in  small 
parties  of  two  or  three  pairs  together.     They  are  extremely  shy ; 


fr 


CHERS. 

in  but  little 
te  basal. 


compressed, 
with  five  or 
basal  mem- 
a  thickened 


Biog.,  ni. 


gs  moderate, 
ad  and  neck 
pper  parts  of 
rtg  and  wide 
thers  at  base 
iy  and  under 
pale-reddiiih; 

ir  and  a  half; 


St  of  New 
ire  that  it 
L  all  along 
jribing  its 

h  of  New 
ir,  in  small 
emely  shjr ; 


( 


THE  OYSTEB-CATCHEB. 


425 


and,  except  about  the  season  of  breeding,  will  seldom  permit  a  per- 
son to  approach  within  gunshot.  They  walk  along  the  shore  in  a 
watchful,  stately  manner ;  at  times  probing  it  with  their  long, 
wedge-like  bills,  in  search  of  small  shell-fish.  This  appears  evi- 
dent, on  examining  the  hard  sands  where  they  usually  resort 
which  are  found  thickly  perforated  with  oblong  holes,  two  or 
three  inches  in  depth.  The  small  crabs,  called  fiddlers,  that 
burrow  in  the  mud  at  the  bottom  of  inlets,  are  frequently  the 
prey  of  the  Oyster-catcher ;  as  are  muscles,  spout  fish,  and  a 
variety  of  other  shell-fish  and  sea  insects  with  which  those  shores 
abound. 

"The  Oyster-catcher  will  not  only  take  to  the  water  when 
wounded,  but  can  also,  swim  and  dive  well.  This  fact  J.  can  assert 
from  my  own  observation,  the  exploits  of  one  of  them  in  this  way 
having  nearly  cost  me  my  life.  On  the  sea-beach  of  Cape  May, 
not  far  from  a  deep  and  rapid  inlet,  I  broke  the  wing  of  one  of 
these  birds,  and,  being  without  a  dog,  instantly  pursued  it  towards 
the  inlet,  which  it  made  for  with  great  rapidity.  "We  both  plunged 
in  nearly  at  the  same  instant ;  but  the  bird  eluded  my  grasp,  and  I 
sunk  beyond  my  depth .  it  was  not  until  this  moment  that  I  recol- 
lected having  carried  in  my  gun  along  with  me.  On  rising  to  the 
surface,  I  found  the  bird  had  dived,  and  a  strong  ebb  current  waa 
carrying  me  fast  towards  the  ocean,  encumbered  with  a  gun  and 
all  my  shooting  apparatus.  I  was  compelled  to  relinquish  my  bird, 
and  to  make  for  the  shore  with  considerable  mortification,  and  the 
total  cV;struction  of  the  contents  of  my  powder-horn.  The  wounded 
bird  afterwards  rose,  and  swam  with  great  buoyancy." 

The  eggs  of  this  bird  are  most  generally  a  creamy-drab 
color,  with  numerous  blotches  and  spots  of  blackish-brown. 
Their  form  is  ovoidal ;  and  their  dimensions  vary  from  2.30 
to  2.12  inch  in  length  by  from  1.62  to  1.50  in  breadth. 

8TREPSILAS,  Iluoeb. 

Sfrepwfa*,  Iluger,  Prodromus(1811).    (Type  Tringainterpres,L.) 
Upper  jaw  with  the  culmen  straight  from  the  nasal  groove  to  near  the  slightly 
npward  bent  tip;  the  bill  tapering  to  a  rather  blunt  point;  no  membrane  between 
the  anterior  toes;  hind  toe  lengthened,  touching  the  ground;  legs  transversely 
gcntellate  anteriorly;  reticulated  laterally  and  behind;  tail  rounded. 


^;v*iKH»--"a™'' 


426 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


ft 


I   ™™  hm^A  «nd  shallow,  obtuse  anteriorly,  and  not  extend- 

,.;c~"  rraiL7r;«.:t  .0...  '^ «.  -pp.'  >- — •*•" 

from  the  middle  to  near  the  tip. 

STBfiPSILAS  INTEEPEES.  — ilKffer. 
The  Turnstone. 

T  <  o„.»   Nat    I   (1766)  248.    Wfls-  Am.  Cm.,  VII. 

Tringa  inlerprtt,  Linnseus.    Syst.  JNat.,  i.  u"»»;  • 

(1818)82.  Prod  (1811),  268.    Nutt,  XL  80.    Aud.  Cm.  Blog., 

IV.  (1888)  81.    i6.,Bird8Am.,V.(1842)281. 

Description. 

T'  tlTt— hT      r^^^^^^  and  Upped  .ith  white,  greater  wing 

base,  with  Its  te™' ""  J      .       ^  conspicuous  oblique  bar  across  the 

tt.e  mtt  wfdeMiffused  of  birds,  being  found  in  nearly  all  parts  of  the  world. 

It  is  only  on  the  seacoast,  and  in  very  small  numbers 
even,  that  this  bird  is  found  in  New  England  as  a  spring 
aud  summer  visitor.    It  occasionally  is  fo""^  -  company 
with  some  of  the  Sandpipers  and  other  beach-birds,  but 
Lally  appears  alone,  or  in  parties  of  two  or  three,  on  the 
beach,  or  on  the  shores  of  sandy  rivers  that  empty  mo 
the  ocean,  near  their  outlets.    It  is  almost  always  actively 
employed  in  turning  over  the  pebbles  and  small  stones  with 
its  'strong,  sharp  bill,  beneath  which  it  finds  small  marme 
auimals  and  eggs,  on  which  it  principally  feeds.    It  dso 
eats  greedily,  according  to  Wilson,  on  the  eggs  of  the 
Horse'shoe,  or  King  Crab,  and  small  shell-fish,  and  occa- 
Bionally  wades  into  the  water  for  a  shrimp  or  other  small 
animal  that  is  left  in  a  shallow  pool  by  the  retiring  waves 
It  breeds  on  the  most  northern  sections  of  the  continent, 


r 


THE  TURNSTONE. 


427 


building  its  nest  in  the  Hudson's  Bay  country,  early  m 
June:  this  nest  is  nothing  but  a  slight  hollow  scratched 
in  the  earth,  and  lined  with  a  few  pieces  of  grass  or  sea- 
weed.  The  eggs  are  four  in  number :  they  are  of  an  olive 
color,  sometimes  a  drab ;  Pud  are  marked  with  spots  and 
blotches  of  reddish  and  black,  chiefly  at  the  greater  end, 
where  they  are  confluent,  and  nearly  cover  and  conceal 
the  ground-color.  Their  form  is  abruptly  pyriform;  and 
their  dimensions  average  about  1.55  by  1.15  inch. 

It  is  rarely  that  we  find  two  specimens  of  this  bird  in  the 
full  plumage,  or  marked  alike  :  they  exhibit  all  the  varieties, 
from  almost  entirely  gray  on  their  upper  parts,  to  the 
plumage  described  above. 


r 


iiii 


428 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


Family  RECURVIROSTRID^.    The  Avosets. 

Legs  covered  with  hexagonal  plates,  becoming  smaller  behind;  anterior  toes  all 
connected  more  or  less  by  membrane;  bill  much  lengthened  and  attenuated;  the 
groove  along  the  side  of  the  upper  mandible  not  extending  beyond  the  middle; 
gums  denticulated  only  at  the  base. 

In  addition  to  the  features  above  mentioned,  these  birds  are  essentially  charac- 
terized by  the  excessive  length  of  the  legs,  with  a  very  long,  slender  neck  and  slen- 
der elongated  bill.  Of  the  several  genera  assigned  the  family,  but  two  belong  to 
the  United  States,  with  the  following  features:  — 

Recurvirostha.  — Hind  toe  present;  toes  webbed  to  the  claws;  bill  recurved 

at  tip. 

Him ANTopus.  —  Hind  toe  wanting;  a  short  web  between  middle  and  outer  to«» 

At  base;  bill  straight. 

RECURVIROSTRA,  Linn^us. 

Recurvirottra,  Linn^us,  Syst.  Nat.  (1744).     Gray.    (Type  R.  avocitla,  L.) 
Hind  toe  rudimentary;  anterior  toes  united  to  the  claws  by  a  much  emarginated 

membrane;   bill  depressed,  extended  into  a  fine  point,  which  is  recurved;   taU 

covered  by  the  wings. 

SECURVIBOSTBA  AH£BICA5A.  —  Gmelin, 
The  American  Avoset. 

Recurvirottra  Amencana,  Gmelin.  Syst  Nat.,  I.  (1788)  693.  Wils.  Am.  Cm., 
VIL  (181.3)  126.  Nutt.  Man.,  H.  78.  Aud.  Cm.  Biog.,  IV.  (1838)  168.  Jb.,  Birds 
Am.,  VI.  (1843)  247. 

Description. 

Bill  rather  long,  depressed;  wings  long;  legs  long;  tarsi  compressed;  tail  short. 

Adult.  — Head  and  neck  pale  reddish-brown,  darker  on  the  head,  and  fading 
gradually  into  white;  back,  wing  coverts,  and  quills,  black;  scapulars,  tips  of 
greater  wing  coverts,  rump  and  tail,  and  entire  under  parts,  white,  the  last  frequently 
tinged  with  reddish ;  bill  brownish-black;  legs  bluish. 

Young.  —  Very  similar  to  the  adult,  but  with  the  head  and  neck  white,  frequently 
tinged  with  ashy  on  the  head  and  neck  behind;  iris  carmine. 

Total  length,  about  seventeen  inches;  wing,  eight  and  a  half  to  nine;  tail,  three 
And  a  half;  bill  to  gape,  three  and  three-quarters;  tftrsus,  three  and  a  half  inches. 

THIS  bird  is  a  rare  summer  visitor  in  New  England 
I  am  unacquainted  with  its  habits,  having  never  met 
with  one  alive;  and  I  must  avail  myself  of  the  observations 
of  others.     Wilson  says,  — 


tTS. 

rior  toes  all 
inuated;  the 
the  middle; 

ially  charac- 
ck  and  alen- 
vo  belong  to 

bill  recurved 

id  outer  toes 


Hta,  L.) 
emarginated 
icurved;   tail 


9.  Am.  Om., 
8.    Jb.,  Birds 


1;  tail  short. 
I,  and  fading 
liars,  tips  of 
Bst  frequently 

ite,  frequently 

le;  tail,  three 
lialf  inches. 

England 
lever  met 
servationa 


THE   AMERICAN   AVOSET. 


429 


« In  describing  the  Long-legged  Avoset,  the  simihirity  between 
that  and  the  present  was  taken  notice  of.  This  ruNwubhinco 
extends  to  every  thing  but  their  color.  I  found  both  these  birds 
associated  together  on  the  salt  marshes  of  New  Jersey,  on  the  20th 
of  May.  They  were  then  breeding.  Individuals  of  the  present 
♦.pecies  were  few  in  respect  to  the  other.  They  flew  around  the 
shallow  pools  exactly  in  the  manner  of  the  Long-legs ;  uttering 
the  like  sharp  note  of  click,  click,  click;  alighting  on  the  marsh  or 
in  the  water  indiscriminately ;  fluttering  their  loose  wings,  and  shak- 
ing their  half-bent  legs,  as  if  ready  to  tumble  over ;  keeping  up  a 
continual  yelping  note.  They  were,  however,  rather  more  shy, 
and  kept  at  a  greater  distance.  One  which  I  wounded  attempted 
repeatedly  to  dive ;  but  the  water  was  too  shallow  tp  permit  him  to 
do  this  with  facility.  The  nest  was  built  among  the  thick  tufts  of 
grass,  at  a  small  distance  from  one  of  these  pools.  It  was  com- 
posed of  small  twigs  of  a  seaside  shrub,  dry  grass,  seaweed,  &c., 
raised  to  the  height  of  several  inches.  The  eggs  were  four,  of  a 
dull-olive  color,  marked  with  large,  irregular  blotches  of  black,  and 
with  others  of  a  fainter  tint 

A  Audubon,  who  found  it  breeding  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Vincennes,  in  the  State  of  Indiana,  describes  the  nest  and 
eggs  as  follows :  — 

"The  nests  were  placed  among  the  tallest  grasses,  and  were 

entirely  composed  of  the  same  materials,  but  dried,  and  apparently 

of  a  former  year's  growth.     There  was  not  a  twig  of  any  kind 

about  them.     The  inner  nest  was  about  five  inches  in  diameter,  and 

lined  with  fine  prairie  grass,  different  from  that  found  on  the  islets 

of  the  pond,  and  about  two  inches  in  depth,  over  a  bed  having  a 

'    thickness  of  an  inch  and  a  half.     The  islets  did  not  seem  to  be 

liable  to  inundation ;  and  none  of  the  nests  exhibited  any  appearance 

of  having  been  increased  in  elevation  since  the  commencement  of 

incubatioli,  as  was  the  case  with  those  described  by  Wilson.     Like 

those  of  most  Waders,  the  eggs  were  four  in  number,  and  placed 

with  the  small  ends  together.     They  measured  two  inches  in  length, 

one  inch  and  three-eighths  in  their  greatest  breadth,  and  were 

exactly,  as  Wilson  tells  us,  '  of  a  dull-olive  color,'  &c.     To  this  I 

Lave  to  add  that  they  are  pear-shaped  aud  smooth." 


480 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


Family  PHALAROPODIDiE.    The  PnALAROrF.s. 

Fe.,her,  of  bre«i  compact.  duck-Uke,  1««»  with  »""'-"«  -";:;'» 'l^'^^^^^' 
extending  nearly  to  the  tip. 


PHALAR0PU3,  Dbissos. 
Membrane  of  toes  ncolloped  at  the  joints. 

PHALAHOPDS    HYPEHBOEEUS.  —  r«mm. 

The  Northern  Pbalarope. 

TWnoo  %erJor«n,  Linnsus.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1766)  249 

PhaLo^  hvperboreus,  remm.    Man.,  IL  (1830)  709.    Aud.  Cm.  B>og.,  IIL 

(1835)118;  V.  605, 

Deschiption. 

Bill  short,  straight,  pointed ;  wings  long ;  tail  short ;  legs  short. 
!ift  l-Neck  encirdedwith  a  ring  of  bright-ferruginous,  and  a  "tnpe  of  the 
eame tn  each  side;  head  above  and  neck  behind  sooty-ash,  "ack,  w.ngs   and    ,., 
Lwnish-black,  paler  on  tfc  rump,  mixed  with  bright-fcrr«f?mous  on  the  back    tips 
ofZterwTng  coverts  white,  sides  and  flank,  ashy,  frequently  m.xed  w,th  red- 
dish   throat,  breast,  and  abdon>en  white,  bill  and  legs  dark,  .r,s  ""''-l''^^- 

i.-Entire"pper  parts  brownish-black,  many  feathers  edged  and  tpped 
witlfZl  yellow  and  ^hy,  under  parts  white;  tips  of  grater  wmg  coverts  wh.te^ 

Totall  length,  about  se'ven  inches,  wing,  four  and  half,  Uil,  two  and  a  quarter, 
bill,  one;  tarsus,  three-fourths  of  an  inch. 

THE  Northern  Phalarope  is  rarely  found  on  the  seacoast 
of  New  England  m  the  spring  and  autumn  migratin.is  ; 
appearing  in  the  former  about  the  10th  of  May,  and  m  the 
latter  about  the  25th  of  August.     The  migrations  are  per- 
formed by  the  birds  in  small  flocks  out  at  sea;  and  it  is  only 
when  they  are  driven  into  shore  by  heavy  winds  and  storms 
that  they  are  found  here,  and  then  scarcely  more  than  two  or 
three  bird»  are  taken  in  a  season.    This  species  is  equally  a 
awimmer  and  wader.    When  on  the  water,  it  has  the  appear- 
ance of  a  small  Gull  or  Tern,  swimming  with  great  elegance 


LAR0PF.8. 

iuUlIn  before  and 
nUirt  kt  the  jointii, 
I,  the  lateral  groov* 


id.  Om.  Biog.,  HI. 


)rt. 

and  a  otripe  of  the 
ick,  wings,  and  tail, 
us  on  the  back;  tips 
tly  mixed  with  red- 
rig  dark-brown, 
ra  edged  and  tipped 
wing  coverts  white. 
,  two  and  a  quarter? 


on  the  seacoast 
mn  migratimia; 
lay,  and  in  the 
rations  are  per- 
I, ;  and  it  is  only 
inds  and  storms 
lore  than  two  or 
scies  is  equally  a 
t  has  the  appear- 
;h  great  elegance 


Qk^ 


v 


&T&>-' 


I 


i 


t 


I 


/ 


THE  NORTHERN   PHALAROPE. 


481 


and  case,  frequently  dipping  its  bill  into  the  water  to  secure 
a  small  marine  animal  or  fly.  Its  motions  are  so  graceful 
when  thus  employed,  that  the  bird  has  been  compared  to  a 
swan ;  and  all  writers  agree  that  it  is  one  of  the  most  beauti- 
ful of  our  aquatic  birds. 

On  the  shore,  it  frequents  small  pools  or  ponds  of  water, 
near  the  coast,  in  which  it  wades  and  swims  with  equal 
facilitv  ;  frequently  uttering  a  shrill  cry  similar  to  the  sylla- 
bles ereet  eree  teet.     It  is  said  that  the  same  pairs  are  faith- 
ful to  each  other  for  successive  seasons.     I  know  not  how 
true  this  may  be ;  but  it  seems  not  improbable,  from  the 
fact,  that,  in  their  winter  homes  on  the  shores  of  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico,  they  are  most  often  seen  in  small  parties  of  three 
or  four,  often  by  pairs.     This  species  breeds  m  the  most 
northern  sections  of  the  continent.     It  builds  its  nest  about 
the  first  week  in  June,  in  the  Hudson's  Bay  country :  this 
is  constructed  of  a  few  pieces  of  grass  and  moss,  put  loosely 
together,  and  placed  in  a  tussock  of  grass  or  moss.     The 
eggs  are  usually  four  in  number.    They  vary  in  color  from  a 
brownish-drab  to  light-olive,  and  are  thickly  covered  with 
large  blotches  and  spots  of  dark  umber :  their  form  is  abrupt- 
ly pyriform,  and  their  dimensions  vary  from  1.12  by  1.02 
to  1.06  by  .98  inch. 


S\\ 


«c  ^ 


482 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


FAMILY  SCOLOPACID^.    TheSnipeb. 

Sub-Family  ScoLOPACiNiE. 

Bmswonen.t.ee.a,  an.  covered  ..os^^^^^^^^^^ 

only  of  tHe  rather  vaulted  t.p  horny;  t'".;"^  ?'  ,  '  J,;  finely  porous,  and  per- 
Me  over  the  tip  of  lower;  the  aw-bone  >n  J^P-]  «-"  ^  ^  JJ,,y  ,,  the  bill, 
forated  by  vessels  and  nerves  ""P^f  "f.  "^/^^^  ^^^  end  of  bill  is  usually  pitted; 
«„abling  it  to  find  food  in  the  m^d;  ^^l^'l^'^l^  ^,,,,,i,.ed;  the  hind  toe 
S  '::X;r:;a  tents  rrt,°  t^e  toes  .ual.  Without  basal  .e.brane 
(except  in  Macrorhan^hus,  &c.)- 

PHILOHELA,  G.  B.  Gray. 

itfiii\     fimelin.    (Type  Scolopax  minm:) 
PkMela,  GHAT,  I^t  "^  G--J"i\^^  ve"  ge,  tiWa  short,  feathered  to  the 
Body  very  full,  and  head  b.ll,  and  eyes  veor      g  ,  ^_^^^^^  ^^^  ^^^^^^ 

joint,  toes  cleft  to  b««« ••  ^g''^^^^"^''  Stqtl  and  longest;  tarsi  stout,  shorter 

-^::;:;::J"=e™.racingasing..ec.s^A^^^ 

like  Scolpax,  with  the  European  Woodcock  ««  ^P«' '"  ^^  ^j^^rt,  rounded, 

anc.    Se  most  striking  ^'-^Z;':^^:^:^^:^.^^^-,  while  in  ScoU,- 


PHILOHELA  MIHOE. -Graj 
The  American  Woodcock. 


474. 


Scolopaie  minor,  Wilson. 


An..  Orn.,  VL  (1812)  40.    And.  Om.  Biog.,  lU.  (1886) 


MusticoU  n.inor,  Nuttall.    Man.,n.  (18^4^94 
Scolopax  [mkroptera)  m.nor,  Nuttall.    Man.,       li 
P»ela^«inor,Gray.     List  Genera  (1841). 

Descriptios. 


.^^j^^^^iiMi^mmimsiMtit 


THE   AMEHICAN   WOODCOCK. 


433 


bill ;  occiput  with  three  transverse  bands  of  black,  alternating  with  three  others  of 
pale  yellowisli-rufoua;  upper  parts  of  body  variepated  with  pale-ashy,  rufous,  or 
yellowish-red  of  various  shades,  and  black ;  large  space  in  front,  and  throat,  reddish- 
ashy  ;  line  from  the  eye  to  the  bill,  and  another  on  the  neck  below  the  eye,  brownish- 
black;  entire  under  parts  pale-rufous,  brighter  on  the  sides  and  under  wing  coverts: 
quills  ashy-brown ;  tail  feathers  brownish-black,  tipped  with  ashy,  darker  on  the 
upper  surface,  paler  and  frequently  white  on  the  under;  bill  light-brown,  paler  and 
yellowish  at  base ;  legs  pale-reddish ;  iris  brown. 

Total  length,  about  eleven  inches;  wing,  five  and  a  quarter;  tail,  two  and  a 
quarter;  bill,  two  anu  c  quarter;  tarsus,  one  and  a  quarter  inches. 

Hob.  —  Eastern  North  America. 


THE  Woodcock  is  a  common  summer  inhabitant  of  the 
three  southern  New-England  States,  and  is  not  rare  in 
most  sections  of  the  others.  It  is  one  of  the  earliest  of  our 
spring  arrivals  ;  appearing  by  the  10th  of  March,  and  some- 
times much  earlier,  even  before  the  25th  of  February. 
\  ' '  3u  it  first  arrives,  it  is  partially  gregarious  ;  being  found 
in  small  companies  of  four  or  five,  in  the  area  of  a  few 
rods.  It  frequents  low  swampy  woods  and  thickets  at  this 
season,  where,  during  the  day,  it  remains  concealed,  only 
moving  about,  in  its  search  for  food,  in  the  night. 

It  begins  its  nocturnal  rambles  by  early  twilight,  and  only 
retires  to  its  swamp  at  daybreak.  If  we  stand,  in  the  even- 
ing, in  the  neighborhood  of  a  swamp,  or  low  tract  of  woods, 
we  sometimes  hear  two  or  three  individuals  moving  about 
in  the  undergrowth,  uttering  their  note,  ehip-per,  chip-per 
chip,  sometimes  varying  it  to  bleat  or  bleat  ta  bleat  ta;  or 
see  them,  against  the  evening  sky,  flying  rapidly  from  one 
swamp  to  another.  About  the  first  week  in  April,  after 
separating  into  pairs,  the  Woodcocks  begin  their  duties  ot 
incubation :  the  female  scratches  together  a  few  loaves,  on 
a  slight  elevation  in  some  meadow  or  swamp,  and  this  forms 
the  nest.  I  have  noticed  that  the  locality  most  often  selected 
is  in  a  small  bunch  of  bushes,  or  small  birches  or  alders,  in 
the  midst  of  a  meadow.  The  eggs  are  three  or  four  in  num- 
ber :  their  ground -color  is  usually  a  rich  creamy-drab, 
sometimes  with  a  slightly  olive  tint ;  and  they  are  marked, 
more  or  less  thickly,  with  coarse  and  fine  spots  and  blotches 


1' 


-**  -i 


"^"^"^"""^ 


ifiiii 


iiiii 


!^^ 


i— 


434 


OBNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


of  two  shades  of  brown,  and  obscure  spots  of  lilac.  They 
are  less  pyriform  than  the  eggs  of  any  other  birds  in  this 
group,  being  often  almost  exactly  ovoidal.  They  exhibit 
great  variations  in  size,  some  specimens  from  Bristol  County, 
Massachusetts,  averaging  1.80  by  1.25 ;  and  others,  from 
the  south  and  west,  averaging  only  1.45  by  1.15 ;  others 
from  Western  Massachusetts  average  about  1.50  by  1.20, 
being  nearly  rounded ;  and  one  from  J.  P.  Norris,  found 
in  Chester  County,  Pennsylvania,  is  abruptly  pyriform,  being 
in  dimensions  1.45  by  1.20  inch. 

Both  birds  assist  in  incubation ;  and  they  are  so  unwilling 
to  leave  the  nest  at  this  time,  that  I  have  known  of  an  ox- 
team  being  driven  within  a  foot  of  a  bird,  without  starting 
her  from  the  nest.  The  food  of  the  Woodcock  consists  of 
worms  and  animalculae,  which  it  secures  by  thrusting  its  bill 
into  the  soft  earth,  and  beneath  the  dead  leaves  and  grass 
in  swamps  and  other  wet  places. 

The  tongue  of  the  bird  is  coated  with  a  thick  saliva ;  and 
the  worms  sticking  to  it  are  drawn  out  and  devoured.     The 
holes  where  the  bill  is  thus  thrust  in  the  earth  are  called, 
by  gunners,  "  borings ; "   and  the  presence  of  the  bird  is 
detected  by  them,  as  none  of  our  wood-birds  make  any  simi- 
lar.    The  old  bird,  if  shot  in  the  summer,  when  she  has 
young,  often  has  her  mouth  full  of  small  worms ;  and  this 
proves  that  she  feeds  her  chicks  until  they  are  nearly  full 
grown.     The  flight  of  the  Woodcock  is  rapid,  and  always  is 
accompanied  by  a  sharp  twitter.     When  the  bird  is  flushed, 
it  ascends  quickly  to  the  height  of  the  trees ;  and,  after 
hovering  a  few  seconds,  it  alights  on  the  ground,  within  a 
few  rods  of  the  point  from  which  it  first  flew. 

In  the  latter  part  of  July,  and  during  the  month  of 
August,  while  the  birds  are  moulting,  they  retire  to  the 
most  secluded  localities ;  and  it  is  difficult  to  find  them 
at  that  season.  In  September,  during  the  continuance  of 
dry  weather,  they  frequent  cornfields  and  ditches;  and  I 
have  seen  them  searching  for  worms  in  the  mud  in  a  sink 


t^^atSUatt&iSMIw 


T 


4. 


Jim 


KSk 


WILSON'S   SNIPE. 


lilac.  They 
birds  in  this 
They  exhibit 
ristol  County, 
others,  from 
1.15 ;  others 
1.50  by  1.20, 
Norris,  found 
irriform,  being 

e  so  unwilling 
wn  of  an  ox- 
thout  starting 
ick  consists  of 
rusting  its  bill 
pes  and  grass 

jk  saliva;  and 
evoured.  The 
rth  are  called, 
of  the  bird  is 
aaake  any  simi- 
when  she  has 
)rms ;  and  this 
are  nearly  full 
,  and  always  is 
bird  is  flushed, 
es ;  and,  after 
ound,  within  a 

the  month  of 
y  retire  to  the 
t  to  find  them 
continuance  of 
ditches;  and  I 
mud  in  a  sink 


486 


spout,  within  a  few  yards  of  a  house.  At  the  latter  part  of 
September,  and  during  October,  they  are  in  their  prime ; 
and  I  know  of  no  more  p.rciting  srport,  and  one  that  is  so 
generally  satisfactory,  than  fall  Woodcock  hunting.  By 
the  10th  of  November,  none  of  these  birds  are  to  be  found 


in  New  England. 


GALLINAGO,  Leach. 


Gattinago,  "Lkach,  Catal.  British  Birds  (1816)."  Gray.  (Type  Scolopax 
major,  L.) 

Lower  portion  of  the  tibia  bare  of  ftathers,  scutellate  before  and  behind,  reticu- 
lated laterally  like  the  tarsi;  nail  of  hind  toe  Blender,  extending  beyond  the  toe; 
bill  depressed  at  the  tip;  middle  toe  longer  than  tarsus;  tail  with  twelve  to  sixteen 
feathers. 

The  more  slender  body,  longer  legs,  partly  nnked  tibia,  and  other  features,  dis- 
tinguish  this  genus  from  Scolopax  or  Philohela, 


OALLINAOO  WILSOKII.  —  5onapnrte. 

The  Snipe;  Wilson's  Snipe;  English  Snipe. 

Scolopax  WUsonii,  Nuttall.     Man.,  II.  185.    Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  III.  (1836)  822; 
V.  (1839)  683.     Jb.,  Birds  Amer.,  V.  (1842)  839. 
GaUinago  Wiltonii,  Bonaparte.    List  (1838). 
Scolopax  gallinayo,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  VI.  (1812)  18.    Not  of  Linnwus. 

Description. 

Bill  long,  compressed,  flattened,  and  slightly  expanded  towards  the  tip,  pustu- 
lated in  its  terminal  half;  wings  rather  long;  legs  moderate ;  tail  short;  entire  upper 
parts  brownish-black;  every  feather  spotted  and  widely  edged  with  light-rufous, 
yellowish-brown,  or  ashy-white ;  back  and  rump  transversely  barred  and  spotted 
with  the  same;  a  line  from  the  base  of  the  bill  over  the  top  of  the  head;  throat  and 
neck  before,  dull  reddish-ashy;  wing  feather  marked  with  dull  brownish-black; 
other  under  parts  white,  with  transverse  bars  of  brownish-black  on  the  sides,  axil- 
lary feathers  and  under  wing  coverts  and  under  tail  coverts ;  quills  brownish-black ; 
outer  edge  of  first  primary  white ;  tail  glossy  brownish-black,  widely  tipped  with 
bright-rufous,  paler  at  the  tip,  and  with  a  subterminal  narrow  band  of  black;  outer 
feathers  of  tail  paler,  frequently  nearly  white,  and  barred  with  black  throughout 
their  length;  bill  brown,  yellowish  at  base,  and  darker  towards  the  end;  legs  dark- 
brown;  iris  hazel. 

Total  length,  about  ten  and  a  half  inches;  wing,  five;  tail,  two  and  a  quarter; 
bill,  two  and  a  half;  tarsus,  one  and  a  quarter  inch. 

Hob,  —  Entire  temperate  regions  of  North  Amc.-ica;  California  (Mr.  Szabo). 

The  Snipe  is  equally  well  known,  and  as  great  a  favorite 
with  spor  t,men,  as  the  preceding  species.    It  arrives  from 


r 


486 


ORNITHOLOQY   AND   OOLOGY. 


the  South  at  about  the  same  time,  and  has  many  of  tlie 
habits  and  characteristics  of  the  other  bird.     It  is  found 
in   New  England   only  aa   a  spring  and   autumn  visitor, 
very  rarely  breeding  here,  but  passing  the  season  of  incuba- 
tion in   higher   latitudes.      It   frequents   the   fresh-water 
meadows,  where  it  usually  lies  concealed  during  the  day, 
only  moving  about  in  dark  weather  and  in  the  night,     in 
the  spring,  while  with  us,  it  appears  to  be  pairing;  and, 
although  associating  in  small  detached  flocks,  they  are  most 
often  found   in   pairs   by  themselves.     It  is   during  this 
season  that  the  male  performs  his  well-known  gyrations  in 
the  air  ■  he  ascends  to  a  considerable  height,  early  in  the 
evening,  and,  almost  in  the  manner  of  the  Night-hawk, 
described  on  a  preceding  page,  dives  towards  the  earth, 
uttering  his  bleating  cry,  and   peculiar  rumbling  sound. 
This  species  breeds  sometimes  in  the  northern  portions  ot 
New  England.     It  forms  a  loose  nest  of  grass  and  a  few 
leaves,  on  the  ground,  in  a  bog  or  wet  swampy  thicket; 
and  about  the  first  week  in  May,  the  female  lays  three  or 
four  eggs.     These  are  more  pyrifonu  in  shape  than  the  pre- 
ceding, and  average  about  1.44  by  1.15  inch  in  dimensions 
Tbeir  color  is   an  olivaceous-drab,  marked  with  spots  ot 
brown,  which  are,  at  the  greater  end,  confluent  into  blotches, 
which  almost  entirely  hide  the  ground-color. 

The  Snipe  has  been  known  to  breed  in  Massachusetts ; 
but  the  occurrence  is  very  rare,  and  can  bo  regarded  only 
as  accidental.    By  the  25th  of  August,  it  returns  to  the 
meadows  of  New  England  in  small  parties  of  three  or  four ; 
but  it  is  not  abundant  much  before  the  10th  or  15th  of  Sep- 
tember, and  then  is  not  found  in  great  numbers,  un  ess 
we  have  had  two  or  three  sharp  frosts.    The  time  when 
sportsmen  most  expect  to  find  them  in  numbers  is  after  a 
north-easterly  storm,  when  the  wind  veers  around  to  the 
south-westward.     Then  the  meadows  are  hunted  diligently, 
and  generally  with  success.      I  have  bagged   twenty-four 
birds  in  an  afternoon's  shooting,  within  ten  miles  of  Boston, 


*«-iaiiiS«-'3<"^*«;^  j«.a»*-5- 


• 


V 


i 


r 


WILSON'S   SNIPE. 


437 


lany  of  tlie 
It  is  found 
imu  visitor, 
IX  of  incuba- 
fresli-watcr 
ng  the  day, 
3  night.     In 
liring;  and, 
liey  are  most 
during  this 
gyrations  in 
early  in  the 
Night-hawk, 
8   the   earth, 
bling  sound. 
1  portions  of 
js  and  a  few 
mpy  thicket ; 
lays  three  or 
than  the  pre- 
u  dimensions, 
ivith  spots  of 
into  blotches, 

[assachusetts ; 
regarded  only 
■eturns  to  the 
three  or  four; 
)r  15th  of  Sep- 
imbers,  unless 
'he  time  when 
bers  is  after  a 
around  to  the 
ited  diligently, 
ed   twenty-four 
niles  of  Boston, 


and  have  known  that  number  to  bo  exceeded  in  favorable 
weather.  Tlio  Snipe  lies  close  to  the  ground  when  a|)- 
proached  ;  and,  being  a  bird  of  »trou'^  scont,  as  the  expres- 
sion is,  is  winded  to  a  considerable  distance  by  a  good  dog. 
It  is  easy  to  imagine  the  excitement  the  sportsman  experi- 
ences, when,  with  a  good  dog,  ho  enters  a  large  meadow, 
and  sees  him  suddenly  come  to  a  point ;  when,  walking  up 
to  the  Snipe,  and  flushing  it,  the  report  of  his  gun,  as  he 
shoots  the  bird,  startles  from  their  lurking-places  perhaps 
a  dozen  others,  who  fly  but  a  short  distance,  uttering  their 
peciUiar  squeak  or  scaip,  and  then  alight  in  the  grass,  prom- 
ising him  an  abundance  of  shooting  for  the  day. 

The  Snipe,  when  first  flushed,  rapidly  doubles  and  twists 
in  a  quick,  zigzag  flight,  which  it  continues  for  several  rods, 
when  it  takes  a  more  direct  course,  almost  always  against 
the  wind.  The  sportsman,  knowing  this  habit  of  the  bird, 
reserves  his  fire  until  it  has  stopped  twisting,  when  his  aim 
is  generally  successful.  Sometimes  two  birds  rise  at  the 
same  time,  when  it  requires  considerable  coolness  and  expe- 
rience to  secure  both.  I  once  got  three  double  shots  in 
succession,  securing  all  six  birds :  but  such  an  occurrence 
and  good  luck  are  rare ;  and  we  must  be  satisfied,  in  most 
shooting,  to  get  but  single  birds. 

The  Snipe,  like  the  Woodcock,  probes  in  the  soft  earth 
for  worms  and  animalcules,  which  it  feeds  upon :  it  also 
eats  the  larvas  of  water-insects,  and  leeches,  and  occa- 
sionally captures  grasshoppers  and  other  insects  in  the  wet 
grass  in  which  it  almost  entirely  resides.  It  is  very  diffi- 
cult of  approach  in  cloudy  and  windy  weather;  but,  in 
warm,  bright  days  in  the  fall,  it  is  quiet,  and  lies  until 
approached  quite  near.  It  remains  with  us  until  the 
ground  is  frozen  in  the  meadow,  when  it  moves  to  the 
Southern  States,  where  it  passes  the  winter. 


488 


OBNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


\ 


MACRORHAMPIIUS,  Lkach. 
Jf«cmrA«mpAu.,"LEACH,Catal.  Brit  Birds,  1816."    Gmy.    [Seolopax  gruea.) 

OmeUn.  u  ^       k 

General  appearance  of  Galtimgo.    Tarsi  longer  than  middle  toe;  a  short  web 

between  the  bft»e  of  outer  and  middle  toe. 

The  membrane  at  the  base  of  the  toes  will  at  once  distinguish  this  genu,  from 
GntUnago,  though  there  Are  other  characters  invohrod. 

MACBOBHAMPHTJS  OHISEUS.  — (Cm.)  Leach. 
The  Ked-breaated  Snipe ;  Gray  Snipe. 

Scotopax  «n«a,  Gmelin.    Syst.  Nat,  I.  (1788)  658,  No.  27. 

Scol^'x  N,welH,racen,i,,  Wilson.  Am.  Cm.,  VII.  (1813)  46.  And.  Om.  Biog., 
IV.  (1888)  285.    Ik,  Birds  Amer.,  VI.  (1848)  10. 

Dbscription. 

Bill  long  compressed,  flattened,  and  expanded  towards  the  end,  and,  in  the  same 
space,  punctulated  and  corrugated;  wing  rather  long;  shaft  of  first  primary  strong; 
tail  short;  legs  rather  long.  .  ui    i    .i    i  » 

AduU  -Upper  parts  variegated  with  dark-ashy,  pale-reddish,  and  black,  the  lat- 
ter predominating  on  the  buck;  rump  and  upper  tail  coverts  white,  the  latter 
spotted  and  barred  transversely  with  black;  under  parts  pale  ferrug.nous-red,  with 
rn.„rn„«  nolnts  and  circular  spots  of  brownish-black  on  the  neck  before,  and 
Transverse  bands  of  the  same  on  the  sides  and  under  tail  coverts;  axillary  feathers 
and  under  wing  coverU  while,  spotted  and  transversely  barred  with  black;  quills 
brownish-black;  shaft  of  first  primary  white;  tail  brownish-black,  with  numerous 
transverse  bands  of  ashy-whiU,  and  frequently  tinged  with  ferruginous,  especially 
on  the  two  middle  feathers :  bill  greenish-black ;  legs  dark  greenish-brown. 

rounoer.-EnUre  under  pans  dull-white,  strongly  marked  with  dull-ashy  on 
the  neck  in  front,  and  transverse  bands  of  the  same  on  the  sides;  axillary  feathers 
and  under  wing  coverts  white,  spotted  with  brownish-black;  upper  parts  lighter 

than  in  the  adult.  *    i  *„„  .„j  „ 

Total  length,  about  ten  inches;  wing,  five  and  three-quarters;  tail,  two  and  a 

quarter;  bill,  two  and  a  quarter;  tarsus,  one  and  a  quarter  inch. 
HcA.  —Entire  temperate  regions  of  North  America. 

This  handsome  bird  is  found  in  smaU  numbers  in  the 
marshes  along  our  coast,  in  the  spring  and  autumn  migra- 
tions. It  seldom  penetrates  into  the  inland  waters  of  New 
England,  but  prefers  the  salt  marshes.  I  think  that  it  is 
much  more  of  a  beach  bird  than  the  Common  Snipe ;  for  it 
is  often  found  on  the  beach  of  the  seashore,  while  the 
other  is  never  seen  there,  so  far  as  my  experience  goes.    It 


\ 


i 


Scolopax  ffritea.) 

ne;  a  short  web 

thiB  genu*  from 


Aad.  Om.  Biog., 


,  and,  in  the  same 
it  primary  strong; 

and  black,  the  lat- 
white,  the  latter 
ruginous-rcd,  willi 
neck  before,  and 
i  axillary  feathers 
with  black;  quills 
;k,  with  numerous 
jginous,  especially 
ish-brown. 
with  dull-a«hy  on 
;  axillary  feathers 
ipper  parts  lighter 

irs;  tail,  two  and  a 


mbors  in  the 
itumn  migra- 
raters  of  New 
ink  that  it  is 
Snipe ;  for  it 
ire,  while  the 
3nce  goes.    It 


THE   RED-BREASTED   SNU'E. 


43i) 


irt  never  found  in  such  numbers  here  as  Wilson  speaks  of 
in  the  following  description,  but  is  seen  in  small  bunches 
of  six  or  cif^ht :  — 

"  Tho  Red-breasted  Snipe  arrives  on  the  seacoost  of  New  Jer- 
sey early  in  April,  is  seldom  or  never  seen  inland :  early  in  May, 
it  proceeds  to  the  North  to  breed,  and  returns  by  the  latter  part  of 
July  or  beginning  of  August.  During  ita  stay  here,  it  flies  in 
flocks,  sometimes  very  high,  and  has  then  a  loud  and  shrill  whistle ; 
making  many  evolutions  over  ihe  marshes ;  forming,  dividing,  and 
re-uniting.  They  sometimes  settle  in  such  numbers,  and  so  close 
together,  that  eighty-five  have  been  shot  at  one  discharge  of  a  mus- 
ket. They  spring  from  the  marshes  with  a  loud,  twirling  whistle, 
generally  rising  high,  and  making  several  circuitous  mamcuvres  in 
the  air  before  they  descend.  They  frequent  the  sand-bars  and  mud 
flats,  at  low  water,  in  search  of  fixjd ;  and,  being  less  suspicious  of 
a  boat  than  of  a  person  on  shore,  are  easily  approached  by  this 
medium,  and  shot  down  in  great  numbers.  They  usually  keep  by 
themselves,  being  very  numerous ;  are  in  excellent  order  for  the 
table  in  September;  and,  on  the  approach  of  winter,  retire  to 
the  South. 

"  I  have  frequently  amused  myself  with  the  various  action  of 

these  birds.    They  fly  very  rapidly,  sometimes  wheeling,  coursing, 

and  doubUng  along  the  surface  of  the  marshes ;  then  shooting  high 

in  air,  there  separating  and  forming  in  various  bodies,  uttering  a 

kind  of  quivering  whistle.     Among  many  which  I  opened  in  May, 

were  several  females  that  had  very  little  rufous  below ;  and  the 

backs  were  also  much  lighter,  and  less  marbled  with  ferruginous. 

The  eggs  contained  in  their  ovaries  were  some  of  them  as  large  as 

garden  peas.     Their  stomachs  contained  masses  of  those  small  snail 

shells  that  lie  in  millions  on  the  salt  marshes.     The  wrinkles  at  the 

base  of  the  bill,  and  the  red  breast,  are  strong  characters  of  this 

species,  as  also  the  membrane  which  unites  the  outer  and  middle 

toes  together." 

28 


4     sP* 


L 


440 


ORNITHOLOGY    AND   OOUHiY. 


Sub-Family  Trinoin^..  —  The  Sandpiper$. 


Bill  Khorter  than  the  naked  l^R,  wi.lone.l  or  rather  npnfin-shnpc.l  at  the  end,  with 
the  edge  not  bent  ovor;  roof  of  mouth  excavated  to  the  tip;  no  groove  along  th« 
culmen;  ear  behind  the  eye;  tail  without  bands? 


TBINGA,  LiBif^us. 
TVtn^a,  LiNiMtus.    Syst.  Nat,  (1785).    (Type  T*.  canuiw,  L.) 

DEsrHipnoN. 
Size  moderate  or  gmall ;  general  fomi  adapted  to  dwellinff  on  the  «hon>»  of  both 
sal'  and  frenh  water",  and  nubsistinR  on  minute  or  small  animalu,  in  purnult  of 
which  they  carefully  examine  and  probe  with  their  bill,  sandy  or  muddy  deposit, 
and  Krowths  of  aquatic  plants,  rooks,  or  other  localities;  fiiRht  rather  rap>d  but 
not  very  strong  nor  long  continued;  bill  moderate,  or  rather  long,  straight  or 
slightly  curved  towards  the  end,  which  is  generally  somewhat  expanded  and  flat; 
longitudinal  grooves,  in  both  mandibles,  distinct,  and  nearly  -lie  whole  length  of  the 
bill-  wir'  -s  long,  pointed:  the  first  primary  longest;  tertiaries  long;  secondanee 
short  wiih  th.ir  tip^  obliquclv  incised;  tail  short;  legs  moderate,  or  rather  long, 
slender-  the  lower  portion  of  the  tibia  naked,  and  with  the  tarsus  covered  in  front 
and  behind  with  transverse  scales;  hind  toe  very  small ;  fore  toes  rather  slender, 
with  a  memU.aimus  margin,  scaly  and  flattened  underneath,  free  at  base. 

This  genus  comprises  a  large  number  of  species  of  all  parts  of  the  world, 
lome  of  which  are  verv  extensively  diff-used,  especially  during  the  season  of  thei- 
Bouthem  or  autumnal  migration.  Generally,  these  birds  are  met  with  in  flocks,  fre- 
auenting  every  description  of  locality  near  water,  and  industriously  searchmg  for 
the  minute  animals  on  which  they  feed.  The  species  of  the  United  States  are  ml- 
Kratorv,  rearing  their  young  in  the  north,  and,  in  autumn  and  winter,  extcndmg  to 
the  confines  of  the  Republic  and  into  South  America.  The  co  .rs  of  the  spring  and 
autumnal  plumage  are  difl-erent  in  nearly  all  species,  though  that  of  the  two  sexea  is 
very  similar. 

TBI50A   CANUTUS.  —  ill  4«i«. 
The  Cray-back ;  Bobin  Snipe. 

/Vtnoa  wnirfM,  Linnirus.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1766)  251. 

Trinya  cinerea,  Gmelin.    Syst  Nat,  I.  (1T88)  678.    Wile.  Am.  Om.,  VH. 

Trin,,     idandica,  Audubon.    Om.Blog,  IV.  (1888)  130.    lb.,  Bird*  Am.,  V. 

'1848)  2  4. 

7Vi»yam/a,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  VH.  (1818)  67. 


i 


THE  GRAY-BACK. 


441 


ers. 


Bd  at  the  end,  with 
0  groove  Blong  th« 


i  the  «hor<>«  of  both 
imalu,  In  pursuit  of 
'  or  muddy  deposits 
lit  rather  rapid,  but 
er  long,  dtralRht  or 
t  expnnded  and  flat; 
!  wholi'  length  of  the 
en  long;  necondariea 
rate,  or  rather  long, 
iu«  covered  in  front 
toes  rather  slender, 
e  at  hnse. 

partd  of  the  world, 
;  the  Reason  of  their 
ct  with  in  flocks,  fre- 
ri^ualy  searching  for 
Jnited  States  are  mi- 
winter,  extending  to 
org  of  the  spring  and 
at  of  the  two  sexea  ia 


T\\t.  Am.  Om.,  VII. 
.    76.,  Birds  Am.,  V. 


DBHCRimOM. 

Lvge;  bill  straight,  rather  longer  than  the  head,  compressed,  sHghtly  enlarged 
at  the  tip;  upper  nuiiidiblu  with  the  nasal  groove  extending  to  near  the  tip,  legs 
nioilerato;  tibm  with  its  lower  tliirti  purl  iiuIibiI;  imik  rnoderata;  wiiig  long;  tail 
short;  toes  fVe«  at  base,  flattened  beneath,  widely  margined;  hind  toe  Mender,  iniall; 
entire  upper  parts  light-gray,  with  lanreolate,  linear,  and  irregular  spoU  of  black, 
and  others  of  pale-reddish;  rump  and  upiier  tail  coverts  white,  with  transverse  nar- 
row bands  and  crescent-shaped  spots  of  black;  under  parts  light  bn)wtii»h-re<l, 
paler  in  the  middle  of  the  abdomen  ,  under  tail  coverts,  tibial  fuathcrs,  (tanks,  axil- 
lary ti-athers,  and  under  wing  coverts  white,  g«norally  with  8|H>ts  and  transverse 
bars  of  browni«h  black;  quills  browuisli  black,  with  their  shatU  white;  tail  light 
brownish-iincreous  (without  S|>«t»  or  bant);  all  the  feathers  edged  with  white,  ami 
frequently  with  a  second  sub-edging  of  dark-brown;  bill  brownish-black;  legs 
greenish-black. 

Yuung  atul  Winter  J'liimnge.  —  XJpfnr  parts  browninh-ashy,  darker  on  the  back, 
every  feather  having  a  sub-terir  inul  edging  of  brownish-black,  and  tipp.id  with  dull 
ashy-white;  rump  white,  wit!^  crescents  of  black;  under  parts  dull  ashy-white, 
nearly  pure  on  the  abdomen,  but  with  numerous  longitudinal  lines,  and  small  spots 
of  dark-brown  on  the  breast  and  neck;  sides  with  crescent-shaped  ami  irregular 
spots  of  brownish  i  lack;  an  obscure  line  of  duU-whito  over  and  behind  the  eye. 

Total  length  ilVom  tip  of  bill  to  end  of  tail),  about  ten  Inches;  wing,  six  and  a 
half;  tail,  two  and  a  half;  bill  from  gapo,  one  and  a  half;  tarsus,  one  and  a  quarter 
inches.    Female  larger? 

This  is  the  largest  of  the  Sandpipers  of  the  United  States,  and  appears  to  be 
restricted  to  the  shores  of  the  Atlantic  in  tliis  division  of  the  continent  of  America. 
We  have  never  seen  it  from  the  Pacific  Coast. 

In  the  Unileil  States,  this  bird  is  known  as  the  Red-breasted  Snipe,  or  sometimes 
OK  the  Gray-backed  Snipe,  though  we  have  never  heard  the  name  "  Knot"  applied 
to  it,  which  appears  to  be  a  common  apjiellution  of  the  same  species  in  Europe,  and 
is  given  by  American  authors.  This  is  one  of  the  few  species  of  birds  which  appears 
to  be  absolutely  identical  with  a  species  of  Europe,  and  is  of  very  extensive  dilTu 
sion  over  the  world,  especially  in  thi  reason  of  southern  migration. 

The  bird  has  received  a  variety  of  nam".s,  of  which  the  very  first  appears  to  be 
that  adopted  at  the  head  of  this  article. 

This  species  appears  in  New  England  only  in  the  migra 
tioiis  in  spring  and  autumn.     It  is  only  soon  on  the  shore, 
and  with  us  only  in  small  flocks  of  eight  or  ten.    I  have 
had  no  opportunities  of  observing  its  habits,  and  will  give 
the  description  by  Wilson  :  — 

"  In  activity  it  is  superior  to  the  preceding,  and  traces  the  flow- 
bg  and  recession  of  the  waves  along  the  sandy  beach  with  great 
nimbleness,  wading  and  searching  among  the  loosened  particles  for 
its  favorite  food,  which  is  a  small,  thin,  oval,  bivalve  shell-fish,  of  a 
white  or  pearl  color,  and  not  larger  than  the  seed  of  an  apple. 


tffiiiiMiiiiiiBWiiiT 


i 


442 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOOT. 


These  usually  Ho  at  a  short  depth  b«li)\v  the  surface ;  but,  in  some 
places,  are  seen  at  low  water  in  heaps,  like  masses  of  wet  grain,  in 
quantities  of  more  than  a  bushel  together.  During  the  latter  part 
of  summer  and  autumn,  these  minute  shell-flsh  constitute  the  food 
of  almost  all  those  busy  flocks  that  run  with  such  octivity  along  the 
Bands,  among  the  flowing  and  retreating  waves.  They  are  univor- 
■ally  swallowed  whole;  but  the  action  of  the  bird's  stomach, 
assisted  by  the  shells  themselves,  soon  reduces  them  to  a  pulp.  If 
we  may  judge  from  tlieir  eflPects,  they  must  be  extremely  nutritious  ; 
for  almost  all  those  tribes  that  feed  on  them  are  at  this  season  mere 
himps  of  fat.  Digging  for  these  in  the  hard  sand  would  be  a  work 
of  considerable  labor ;  whereas,  when  the  particles  are  loosened  by 
the  flowing  of  the  sea,  the  birds  collect  them  with  great  ease  and 
dexteriiy.  It  is  amusing  to  observe  with  what  adroitness  they  fol- 
low and  elude  the  tumbling  surf,  while,  at  the  same  time,  they  seem 
wholly  intent  on  collecting  their  food. 

"  The  Ash-colored  Sandpiper,  the  subject  of  our  present  account, 
inhabits  both  Europe  and  America.  It  has  been  seen  in  great 
numbers  on  the  Seal  Islands,  near  Chatteaux  Bay ;  is  said  to  con- 
tinue the  whole  summer  in  Hudson's  Bay,  and  breeds  there.  Mr. 
Pennant  suspects  that  it  also  breeds  in  Denmark,  and  says  that 
they  appear  in  vast  flocks  on  the  Flintshire  shore  during  the  winter 
season.  With  us  they  are  also  migratory,  being  only  seen  in 
spring  and  autumn.  They  are  plump  birds ;  and,  by  those  accus- 
tomed to  the  sedgy  taste  of  this  tribe,  are  esteemed  excellent 
eating." 


ARQUATELLA,  Baird. 

TRIHQA  MABITIHA.  — BrunmcA. 

The  Purple  Sandpiptr. 

Tringa  maritima,  Brunnich.    Orn.  Bor.  (1764),  54.    Nutt.  Man.,  11.  116.    And. 
Om.  Biog.,  III.  (1836)  668.    lb.,  Birds  Am.,  V.  (1842)  261. 

Description. 
Bill  rather  longer  than  the  head,  straight,  compressed;  nasal  groove  long;  wings 
long;  tail  short,  rounded;  legs  moderate;  toes  free  at  base, flattened  underneath  and 
•lightly  margined;  hind  toe  small;  entire  head  and  upper  parts  darlc  smoky-brown, 


^ff;)ii!fi;)i'"Vi'»»n*iii'iii'i>w 


but,  ill  Hunie 
wet  grain,  iu 
ie  luttor  purt 
lite  the  food 
ity  along  tlie 
f  are  univer- 
d'g  Rtomacli, 
1  a  pulp.  If 
ly  nutritious ; 
i  senson  mere 
lid  be  a  work 
3  loosened  by 
eat  ease  and 
less  they  fol- 
ne,  they  seem 

Bsent  account, 
leen  in  great 
is  said  to  con- 
s  there.  Mr. 
md  says  that 
ng  the  winter 
only  seen  in 
y  those  accus- 
ned  excellent 


D.,  n.  116.    And. 


roovelong;  wingg 
id  underneath  and 
irk  smoky-brown, 


THE  CUBLEW  SANDPIPER. 


448 


with  a  pur])lc  and  violet  tlnK«,  MronKciit  on  the  back  and  •capulam;  under  part* 
from  tlio  hrt-ant  wliitn,  jti'nprally  with  lim({itu(liiml  spot  of  diirk-anliy;  wiiin  rovorta 
more  or  li'M  edn'id  and  lipped  with  whitu;  i|iiillii  browniiih-l)lui'k,  cdurd  with  while i 
niiddlu  tail  leathorn  browiiiith-black,  outer  tuathem  iiKhtar,  with  tlieir  nhart*  white; 
axilluriei  and  under  wing  covert*  while;  bill  yellow  at  bane,  dark  at  tip;  lega 
yellow. 

Total  li>n(;th,  about  eixht  to  nine  Inches;  winit,  Hvo;  tail,  two  and  a  half;  bill 
from  Kap«,  one  and  a  quarter;  tamua,  one  Inch;  Irii  orange. 

y/iiA.  —  Kantern  North  America;  Kurope. 

This  spocios  is  not  unconiraou  on  our  shoroa  during  the 
spring  and  autunm  migrations,  whoro  thoy  are  active  and 
busy  in  their  search  for  small  shell-fish,  and  crustaceans, 
which  constitute  their  principal  food.  They  have  all  the 
characteristics  of  the  Spotted  Sandpiper  while  with  us,  and, 
from  their  preference  to  rocky  beaches  and  shores,  are  often 
tilled  Rock  Snipes.  They  proceed  to  the  most  northern 
portions  of  the  continent  to  breed,  where,  according  to  Dr. 
Richardson,  thoy  lay  four  eggs,  which  are  "  pyriform,  six- 
teen and  a  half  lines  long,  and  an  inch  across  at  their  great- 
est breadth.  Their  color  is  yellowish-gray,  interspersed 
with  small  irregular  spots  of  pale  brown,  crowded  at  the 
obtuse  end,  and  rare  at  the  other." 

TRINOA   SUBABQTTATA —  rem„t. 

The  Curlew  Sandpiper. 

Tringa  tuba.quaia,  Temm.  Man.,  II.  (1820)  609.  Nutt.  Man.,  II.  104.  And. 
Om.  Biog.,  III.  (1836)  444.    lb.,  Birds  Am.,  V.  (1842)  269. 

Dbsoriftion. 

Bill  rather  longer  than  the  head,  slender,  compressed,  slightly  curved  towards 
the  tip,  which  is  somewhat  expanded;  both  mandibles  grooved;  wing  long,  pointed; 
tail  short;  legs  long,  slender;  toes  moderate,  marginated  and  flattened  underneath. 
Upper  parts  brownish-black,  nearly  every  feather  edged  and  spotted  with  bright 
yellowish-red,  rump  ashy-brown,  upper  coverts  of  the  tail  white,  with  transverse 
bands  of  brownish- black ;  wings  ashy-brown,  shales  of  primaries  white;  under  parts 
fine  dark-yellowish  rufous;  sides,  axillaries,  and  under  tail  coverts,  white ;  under 
surface  of  wing  white;  tail  pale  brownish-ashy,  with  a  greenish  gloss;  bill  and  lege 
greenish-brown. 

Young.  —  Upper  parts  much  more  ashy,  and  with  little  of  the  red  of  the  preced- 
ing; under  parts  entirely  dull-white,  tinged  with  yellowish  on  the  breast  and  sides  i 
an  obscure  line  over  the  eye  ashy-white ;  outer  feathers  of  the  tail  nearly  white. 


i3SJS«s^?*?..^" 


i— 


444 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


Total  length,  about  eight  and  a  half  to  nine  inches;  wing,  five;  tail,  two  and  a 
quarter;  bill,  from  gape,  one  and  a  quarter  to  one  and  a  half;  tarsus,  one  to  one  and 
a  quarter  inches;  iris  hazel. 

^a6.  — Atlantic  coast  of  the  United  States,  rare;  Europe;  Asia;  Africa. 

This  is  undoubtedly  the  most  rare  of  all  our  shore  birds. 
1  found  a  single  specimen  in  a  bunch  of  Sandpipers  shot  on 
Cape  Ann,  in  the  autumn  of  1865,  for  sale  in  the  principal 
market  in  Boston.  This  is  the  only  instance  that  has  come 
to  my  own  knowledge  of  its  being  found  here.  Audubon 
speaks  of  two ;  and  other  writers,  of  a  few  more  in  different 
years. 

TBIROA   ALPINA  var.    AMEKICAN A.  —  Cawm. 

The  Hed-backed  Sandpiper ;  Grass-bird. 

Tringa  alpim,  Linnaius.  Syst.  Nat.,  L  (1766)  249.  Wils.  Am.^Orn.,  VII.  (1818) 
25.    Nutt.  Man.,  II.  106.    Aud.  Om.  Ulog.,  lii.  (1835)  580.    Jb.,  Sirds  Am.,  V. 

(1842)  266. 

Description. 

Bill  longer  than  the  head,  wide  at  base,  curved,  slightly  widened  and  flattened 
towards  the  end;  nasal  groove  and  another  groove  in  the  under  mandible  long 
and  very  distinct;  wings  long;  tail  short,  with  tlie  two  middle  feathers  longest  and 
pointed;  legs  rather  long  and  slender,  lower  half  of  the  tibia  naked;  toes  moderate, 
free  at  base,  flattened  underneath  and  slightly  mnrginated;  claws  much  compressed, 
hind  toe  small;  upper  parts  yellowish-red,  mixed  with  ashy,  and  every  feather  hav- 
ing a  lanceolate,  ovate,  or  narrow  spot  in  the  centre,  most  numerous  on  the  back  and 
rump;  front,  sides  of  the  head,  and  entire  under  parts,  ashy-white;  nearly  pure-white 
on  the  abdomen  and  under  tail  coverts;  a  wide  tranverse  band  of  black  across  the 
lower  part  of  the  breast;  neck  before  and  upper  part  of  the  breast  with  narrow 
longitudinal  spoU  of  brownish-black;  under  wing  coverts  and  axUlary  feathers 
white;  quiliS  '.ight  as":y-brown,  darker  on  their  outer  edges,  with  their  shafts  white; 
tail  feathers  light  asliy-brown;  middle  feathers  darker,  outer  nearly  white;  bill  and 
legs  brownish-black;  sexes  nlike;  iris  dark-hazel. 

Winter  Plumage.  —  Entire  upper  parts  dark-ashy,  nearly  black  on  the  nimp,  and 
upper  tail  coverts;  throat,  abdomen,  axillaries  and  under  wing  coverts,  white; 
breast  pale-ashy,  with  longitudinal  lines  of  dark-browu. 

Total  length,  eight  to  eight  and  a  half  inches;  wing,  five;  tail,  two  and  a  quar- 
ter, bill,  from  gape,  one  and  a  half;  tarsus,  one  inch. 

Eab.  —  Entire  temperate  regions  of  North  America. 

This  is  a  rather  abundant  species  on  our  shores  in  the 
ispring  and  autumn  migrations.  It  appears  here  about 
the  last  week  in  April  or  first  week  in  May,  and  frequents 


wmi 


iMiiii 


mypn 


mm 


MH 


"1 


.jik* 


THE   PECTORAL   SANDPIPER. 


445 


:,  five;  tail,  two  and  a 
tarsuB,  one  to  one  and 

Asia;  Africa. 

our  shore  birds, 
idpipers  shot  on 
in  the  principal 
le  that  has  come 
lere.  Audubon 
nore  in  different 


Ca$$in. 

1. 

.Am.Orn.,VII.{1818) 


widened  and  flattened 
)  under  mandible  long 
le  feathers  longest  and 
naked ;  toes  moderate, 
ilaws  much  compressed, 
and  every  feather  hav- 
nerous  on  the  back  and 
hite ;  nearly  pure-white 
,nd  of  black  across  tha 
the  breast  with  narrow 
I  and  axillary  feathers 
with  their  shafts  white ; 
•  nearly  white;  bill  and 

black  on  the  rump,  and 
r  wing  coverts,  white; 

'e;  tail,  two  and  a  quar- 


iir  shores  in  the 
lears  here  about 
ly,  and  frequents 


the  beach,  where  it  n^s  all  the  habits  and  activity  of  the 
other  Sandpipers,  ri-uning  along  the  edge  of  the  surf,  and 
gleaning  in  tlie  waves  and  on  the  sands  its  food  of  small 
marine  animals.  It  mixes  with  the  other  species,  but  is 
readily  distinguished  from  them  by  the  brightness  of  its 
plumage.  It  is  in  best  condition  for  cabinet  preservation 
in  the  vernal  migration.  It  passes  leisurely  to  the  most 
northern  sections  of  the  continent,  where  it  passes  the 
breeding  season.  Maggillivray  describes  the  breeding  habits 
as  follows :  — 

"  The  nest  is  a  slight  hollow  in  a  dry  place,  having  a  few  bits  of 
withered  heath  and  grass  irregularly  placed  in  it.  The  eggs,  four 
in  number,  are  ovato-pyriform,  an  inch  and  four-twelfths  in  length, 
eleven-twelfths  in  breadth,  oil-green  or  light  greenish-yellow,  irregu- 
larly spotted  and  blotched  with  deep-brown ;  the  spots  becoming 
more  numerous  toward  the  larger  end,  where  they  are  confluent. 
The  young,  like  those  of  the  Golden  Plover  and  Lapwing,  leave 
the  nest  immediately  after  exclusion,  run  about,  and,  when  alarmed, 
conceal  themselves  by  sitting  close  to  the  ground  and  remaining 
motionless." 

This  species,  when  it  returns  in  the  autumn,  late  in  Sep- 
tember, is  very  fat,  and  is  considered  delicate  and  palatable 
as  food. 

ACTODROMAS,  KAtn-. 

TBINOA   MACULATA.  ~  Vieillot. 

Tbe  Pectoral  Sandpiper. 

Tringa  maculata,  Vieillot.    Nouv.  Diet.,  XXXIV.  (1819)  465. 
Tringa  pecUn-alis,  Nuttall.    Man.,  11.  111.    Aud.  Om.  Bio^.,  HI.  (1885)601; 
V.  58a.    lb.,  Birds  Am.,  V.  (1842),  259. 

Description. 

Bill  rather  longer  than  the  head,  compressed,  slightly  depressed  and  expanded  at 
the  tip;  nasal  groove  long;  wings  long;  legs  rather  long;  tibia  with  nearly  its  lower 
half  naked ;  toes  free  at  base,  flattened  underneath  and  slightly  margined ;  tail  rather 
short;  middle  feathers  pointed ;  entire  upper  parts  brownish-black;  all  the  feathers 
edged  and  tipped  with  ashy  and  brownish-red;  rump  and  upper  tail  coverts  black, 
aome  of  the  outer  feathers  of  the  latter  edged  with  white ;  lin«  from  the  bill  over 


f^s^ff^^iiass^ii^^ss^si^sasBBssismi^^si^'^^^f^v^^*^^^^!'^^'''^^^?'^^ 


MK 


446 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


the  eye  a»hy-white;  throat,  abdomen,  under  wing  oovertg,  axillary  feathers,  and 
under  tail  coverts,  white;  breast  and  neck  before  ashy-white;  all  the  feathers  darker 
at  base,  and  with  partially  concealed  lanceolate  or  pointed  spots  of  brownish-black ; 
quills  brownish-black;  shaft  of  first  primary  white,  of  others  brown;  secondaries 
tipped  and  edged  with  white;  tertiaries  edged  with  dull  "ddish-yellow;  bill  and 
feet  dark  greenish-black;  iris  dark-hazel. 

Total  length,  about  nine  inches;  wing,  five  and  a  quarter;  tail,  two  and  a  half; 
bill  to  gape,  one  and  one-eighth;  tarsus,  one  inch. 

Bab.  —  The  entire  coasts  of  North  America;  South  America;  Europe. 

This  well-known  species  is  pretty  abundantly  distributed 
along  our  coast  in  the  spring  and  autumn  migrations,  when 
it  appears  in  small  flocks,  in  May,  in  the  former  seasons, 
and  in  August  and  September  in  the  latter.  It  has  all  the 
habits  of  the  other  Sandpipers,  but  is  uore  often  seen  in 
the  marshes  and  meadows,  particularly  in  the  autumn,  than 
the  others,  where  it  eagerly  pursues  the  various  insects 
which  are  found  there,  particularly  the  grasshoppers  and 
crickets,  that  furnish  food  for  so  many  of  our  passing  birds. 
This  species  is  best  known  to  our  gunners  by  the  name  of 
the  Grass-bird.  It  is  a  favorite  with  them  because  of  its 
fine  flavor  on  the  table ;  and  it  is  found  in  considerable 
abundance  in  our  markets,  where  it  meets  a  ready  sale  at  a 
very  remunerative  price. 

TEINGA  BONAPABTIL  — Sc/i?e,9eZ. 

Bonaparte's  Sandpiper. 

Tringa  Schinzii,  Nuttall.     Man.,  H.  109.     And.  Om.  Biog.,  m.  (1835)  629. 
7J.,  Birda  Amer.,  V.  (1842)  275. 

Tringa  Bompartii,  Schlegel.    Rev.  Crit.  Ois.  Eur.,  (1844)  89. 

Description. 
Smaller;  bill  slightly  arched  towards  the  tip,  which  is  somewhat  enlarged  and 
flattened,  about  the  length  of  the  head;  grooves  iu  both  mandibles  Long  and  Lar- 
row;  wings  long;  secondary  quills  obliquely  incised  at  the  ends;  tail  rather  longer 
than  usual  in  this  group,  with  the  feathers  broad;  legs  rather  long  and  slender;  toes 
free  at  base;  liind  toe  very  small;  upper  parts  light  ashy-brown;  darker  on  the 
rump ;  nearly  all  the  feathers  with  ovate  or  wide  lanceolate  central  spots  of  brownish- 
black,  and  manj'  of  them  edged  with  bright  yellowish-red;  upper  tail  coverts  white; 
under  parts  white,  with  numerous  small  spots  of  dark-brown  on  the  neck  before, 
breast,  and  sides,  somewhat  disposed  to  form  transverse  bands  on  the  last;  quills 
brownish-black,  darker  at  the  tips;  shaft  of  outer  primary  white,  of  othere  light- 
brown;  middle  leathers  of  tail  brownish-black;  outer  fe;tthers  lighter,  and  edged 


j|^'»W*ffl*i» 


§> 


L 


-JULiUJ 


THE   LEAST   SANDPIPER. 


447 


llarr  feathers,  and 
the  feathers  darker 
of  brownish- black; 
Mown;  secondaries 
ih-yellow;  bill  and 

ail,  t\70  and  a  half; 

Europe. 

tly  distributed 
fratioiis,  when 
irmer  seasons, 

It  has  all  the 
often  seen  in 
autnran,  than 
irious  insects 
jshoppers  and 
passing  birds. 

the  name  of 
because  of  its 
L  considerable 
eady  sale  at  a 


g.,  m.  (1835)  529. 


'what  enlarged  and 
ibles  long  and  r.ar- 
I ;  tail  rather  longer 
ig  and  slender;  toea 
)wn;  darker  on  the 
al  spots  of  brownish- 
sr  tail  coverts  white; 
on  the  neck  before, 
i  on  the  last;  quills 
lite,  of  othei-s  light- 
lighter,  and  edged 


with  ashy-white;  under  wing  coverts  and  axillaries  white ;  bill  and  feet  groenish- 
black ;   iris  hazel. 

Total  length,  about  seven  inches;  wing,  four  and  three-quarters;  tail,  two  and  a 
quarter;  bill,  one;  tarsus,  rather  less  than  an  inch. 

Jlab.  —  North  America,  east  of  the  Kocky  Mountains. 

This  bird  also  is  often  known  to  sportsmen  by  the  com- 
prehensive name  "  Grass-bird."  It  is  less  abundant  than 
the  preceding,  but  has  all  its  habits.  It  appears  in  small 
flocks  of  eight  or  ten,  and  frequents  the  marshes  and  marshy 
shores  in  preference  to  the  sandy  beach.  In  such  localities, 
it  feeds  upon  various  insects  and  aquatic  animals,  and  lar- 
vae of  aquatic  insects;  and  is  often  seen  in  fresh-water 
meadows,  at  a  considerable  distance  from  the  shore,  busy  in 
search  of  this  variety  of  food.  Ntittall  says  it  lays  four 
eggs,  smaller  than  those  of  the  T.  alpina,  of  a  yellowish- 
gray  color,  spotted  with  olive  or  chestnut-brown. 

TRIHOA  WILSONII.-JV««aH. 

yihe  Least  Sandpiper;  Peep.— 

Trlnga  pusilla,  Wilson.  Am.  Om.,  V.  (1812)  32.  Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  IV.  (1838) 
180.     ;*.,  Birds  Am.,  V.  (1842)280. 

Tringa  Wilaonii,  Nuttall.    Man.,  II.  (1834)  121. 

Description. 

The  smallest  of  hll  known  species  of  ihis  group  found  in  North  America;  bill 
about  as  long  as  the  head,  slightly  curved  towards  the  end,  which  is  very  slightly 
expanded;  grooves  in  boU,  mandibles  to  near  the  tip;  wing  long;  tertiarics  nearly 
as  long  as  the  primaries;  tail  short;  middle  feathers  longest;  outer  feathers  fre- 
quently longer  than  the  intermediate;  legs  long;  lower  third  of  the  tibia  naked; 
toes  long,  slender,  margined,  and  flattened  beneath ;  hind  toe  small ;  upper  parts  with 
nearly  every  feather  having  a  large  central  spot  of  brownish-black,  and  widely  mar- 
gined with  ashy  and  bright  brownish-red;  rump  and  middle  of  the  upper  tail 
coverts  black;  outer  coverts  white,  spotted  with  black;  stripe  over  the  eye,  throat, 
and  breast,  pale  ashy-white,  with  numerous  small  longitudinal  spots  of  achy-brown ; 
abdomen  and  under  tail  coverts  white ;  quills  dark-brown,  with  the  shtfts  of  the 
primaries  white;  tertiaries  edged  with  reddish;  middle  feathers  of  the  tail  brownish- 
black;  outer  feathers  light  ashj'-white;  under  surface  of  wing  light  brownish- ashy, 
with  a  large  spot  of  white  near  the  shoulder;  axillary  feathers  white;  bill  and  legs 
greenish-brown,  the  latter  frequently  yeliowish-green. 

Total  length,  from  tip  of  bill  to  end  of  tail,  about  five  and  c  half  to  six  inches; 
wing,  three  and  a  half  to  three  and  three-quarters;  tail,  one  and  tnree-quarters ;  bill 
to  gape;  three  quaiters;  tarsus,  three-quarters  of  an  inch. 

JKjA.  —  Entire  temperate  North  America. 


"^W 
.% 


t 


r 


448 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


The  Least  Sandpiper  or  "  Peep "  is  so  well  known  on 
tur  shores  that  any  description  is  ahnost  superfluous.  It 
makes  its  appearance  early  in  May,  in  small  parties  of 
five  or  six,  and  quickly  proceeds  to  the  most  northern 
sections  of  the  continent,  where  it  breeds,  and  then  im- 
mediately returns  to  our  shores,  where  it  remains  until 
early  in  October,  when  it  passes  on  to  the  South.  Au- 
dubon, in  describing  its  breeding  habits,  says,  "That 
this  species  is  naturally  disposed  to  seek  alpine  sections 
of  the  country  for  the  purpose  of  reproduction,  I  obtained 
abundant  proof  whilst  in  Labrador,  where  I  found  it  plen- 
tiful, and  breeding  on  the  moss-clad  crests  of  the  highest 
rocks,  within  short  distances  of  the  sea."  On  finding  the 
nest,  he  says,  —  ,  • 

«  Four  beautiful  eggs,  larger  than  I  had  expected  to  see  pro- 
duced by  birds  of  so  small  a  size,  lay  fairly  beneath  my  eye,  as  I 
knelt  over  them  for  several  minutes  in  perfect  ecstasy.  The  nest 
had  been  formed  first,  apparently,  by  the  patting  of  the  little 
creatures'  feet  on  the  crisp  moss,  and  in  the  slight  hollow  thus 
produced  were  laid  a  few  blades  of  slender,  dry  grass,  bent  in  a 
circular  manner;  the  internal  diameter  of  the  nest  being  two 
mches  and  a  half,  and  its  depth  an  inch  and  a  quarter.  The  eggs, 
which  were  in  shape  just  like  those  of  tht  Spotted  Sandpiper,  T. 
macularius,  measured  seven  and  a  half  eighths  of  an  inch  in  length, 
and  three  tburths  of  an  inch  in  breadth.  Their  ground-color  was  a 
rich  creaff'-yellow  tint,  blotched  and  dotted  with  very  dark  umber, 
the  markings  larger  and  more  numerous  toward  the  broad  end. 
They  were  placed  with  their  broad  ends  together,  and  were  quite 
fresh.  The  nest  lay  under  the  Ite  of  a  small  rock,  exposed  to  all 
the  heat  the  sun  can  afford  in  that  country." 

It  is  during  the  latter  part  of  August  and  the  greater 
part  of  September  that  this  species  is  most  abundant  in 
New  England,  where  it  generally  confines  itself  to  the  sea- 
coast,  but  sometimes  penetrates  to  the  large  tracts  of  water 
in  the  interior,  gleaning  there  its  food  of  small  shell-fish, 
crustacean:^,  arid  insects  in  the  pools  of  water  and  on  the 


'''JliMi'MWf'"^'*"'^^*'"''''™*''^ 


_' miiji^iiiiiiiiiiii* 1^1 


L 


well  known  on 
superfluous.  It 
iinall  parties  of 

most  northern 
i,  and  then  im- 
t  remains  until 
he  South.  Au- 
8,   says,   "  That 

alpine  sections 
jtion,  I  obtained 
I  found  it  plen- 
,s  of  the  highest 

On  finding  the 

pected  to  see  pro- 
leath  my  eye,  as  I 
ecstasy.  The  nest 
tting  of  the  little 
slight  hollow  thus 
ry  grass,  bent  in  a 
le  nest  being  two 
uarter.  The  eggs, 
)tted  Sandpiper,  T. 
if  an  inch  in  length, 
ground-color  was  a 
X  very  dark  umber, 
ird  the  broad  end. 
ler,  and  were  quite 
rock,  exposed  to  all 


;  and  the  greater 
lost  abundant  in 
itself  to  the  sea- 
ge  tracts  of  water 
f  small  shell-fish, 
water  and  on  the 


THE   SANDERLING. 


449 


sands  and  flats.    It  associates  in  large  flocks  at  that  season, 
and  often  with  other  birds. 

CALIDRIS,  CuviKR. 

Calidri,,  CuviBK,  Anat.  Comp.,  V.  ir  chart  (1805).    (Type  Tringa  arenana,  L.) 
General  characters  of  Tringa,  but  without  hind  toe;  bill  straight,  rather  '  ..ger 
than  the  head  and  tarsus,  widened  somewhat  or  apoon-shapcd  at  the  end;  tail  doubly 
emarginate;  toes  short;  middle  one  scarcely  two-thirds  the  tarsus. 

CALIDBIS  ABENAEIA.— i%er. 
The  Sanderling. 

Tringa  armaria,  Linnceus.  Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1766)  251.  Aud.  Om.  Biog.  lb., 
Birds  Am.,  V.  (1842)  2S7. 

Calidris  arenaria,  lUiger.    Prod.  (1811),  249.    Nutt.  Man.,  H.  (1834)  4. 

aaradriui  calidris,  Lionajus.  Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1760)  256.  Wils.  Am.  Om.,  VII. 
(1813)  68. 

Charadriut  rvbidus.    Gm.,  I.  (1788)  688.    Wils.  Am.  Om.,  VII.  (1813)  129. 

Description. 
No  hind  toe;  front  toes  moderate  or  rather  long,  flattened  underneath;  distinct- 
ly margined  with  a  membrane;  bill  rather  longer  than  the  head,  straight,  rather 
thick;  ridge  of  upper  mandible  flattened;  nasal  groove  deep,  and  nearly  as  long  as 
the  upper  mandible,  not  so  distinct  in  the  lower;  both  mandibles  widened  and  flat- 
tened at  the  tip;  aperture  of  the  nostril  large,  and  covered  with  a  membrane;  wing 
long;  tail  short,  with  the  middle  feathers  longest;  under  coverts  long  as  the  tail; 
legs  moderate;  lower  third  of  the  tibia  naked;  upper  parts  light-ashy,  with  lanceo- 
late, hastate,  and  ovate  spots  of  broMraish-black  on  the  top  of  the  head,  on  the  back, 
scapulars,  and  shorter  quills;  rump  and  upper  tail  coverts  with  fine  transverse  lines 
of  black;  under  parts  pure-white;  shoulders  brownish-black,  without  spots;  quills 
brownish-black,  with  their  shafts  white,  and  much  paler  on  their  inner  webs ;  greater 
■is-ing  coverts  widely  tipped  with  white;  middle  feathers  of  the  tail  ashy-brown, 
edged  with  white;  outer  feathers  paler;  bill  and  legs  greenish-black;  sexes  alike; 
iris  brown. 

In  spring  plumage,  the  head,  neck,  and  breast  are  tinged  with  pale  yellow- 
ish-red, and  spotted  with  dark-brown;  back  and  s-apulars  edged  and  tipped  with 
yellowish-red;  rump  and  under  tail  coverts  ashy-brown;  under  parts  of  the  body 
pure-white. 

Total  length,  seven  and  three-quarters  to  eight  inches;  wing,  five;  tail,  two;  bill. 
about  one  inch ;  tarsus,  about  one  inch. 

Hab.  —Entire  temperate  regions  of  North  America,  South  America,  Europe. 

An  abundant  species  on  both  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  coasts  of  the  Republic,  and 
extending  its  range,  in  winter,  into  South  America.  We  can  find  no  reliable  dis- 
tinction between  the  American  and  the  European  bird,  though  specimens  differ 
quite  materially  in  size  e.xi  length  of  bill. 

29 


:-'S*.¥?^t?'^;"^ 


r 


L 


450 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


I 


m 


I  I 


i      I 


The  Sanderliug,  most  often  called  the  "  Beach-bird  "  by 
gunners,  is  pretty  abundant  on  our  shores  in  the  autumn 
migrations.  It  is  rarely  seen  in  spring,  but  seems  to  move 
by  us  in  passing  to  its  northern  breeding-grounds.  Accord- 
ing to  Mr.  Hutchins,  it  breeds  on  the  coast  of  Hudson's 
Bay,  where  it  constructs,  on  the  marshes,  a  rude  nest  of 
grass,  laying  four  dusky  eggs,  spotted  with  black,  on  which 
it  begins  to  sit  about  the  middle  of  Juno.  Early  in  Septem- 
ber, sometimes  by  the  20th  of  August,  it  returns  to  our 
shores,  where  it  associates  with  the  Sandpipers  in  small 
flocks.  It  has  all  the  habits  and  characteristics  of  these 
birds,  busily  seeking  in  the  retreating  waves,  and  in  the 
pools  on  the  beach,  its  food  of  small  shells  and  crustaceans. 
It  is  quite  fat  in  the  aiitumn,  and  is  esteemed  by  many,  a 
fine-flavored  bird  for  the  table. 


m 


EREUNETES,  Illigeb. 

ITreuneiM,  ItUGER.    Prod.  (1811),  262. 

The  bill  of  our  species  of  Ereunetes  is  quite  stout,  and  considerably  expanded,  by 
■which  it  is  readily  distinguished  from  Actodromat  Wihonii,  independently  of  the 
semipalraated  feet;  the  tarsus  and  middle  toe  are  alout  r^ual;  the  tibit  uded 
anteriorly  for  about  two-thirds  the  length  of  tarsus;  th  j  basal  membrane  of  toes 
is  more  scolloped  out  interiorly  than  exteriorly;  the  notch  externally  not  quite  as 
deep  as  to  the  first  joint,  although  the  membrane  extends  beyond  the  second. 
There  is  a  tendency  to  hexagonal  subdivision  in  the  bare  portion  of  tibia  anteriorly. 
The  tail  is  doubly  emarginate. 

EEEUNETES  PETEIFICATUS.  —  7%er. 
The  Semipaltne.ted  Sandpiper ;  Peep. 

Ereuneletpetrifcatus,  llMger.  Prod.  (1811),  262.  (Proved  identical  with  Tringn 
semipalmata,  Wils.,  by  Cabanis.) 

Tringa  temipalmata,  Wilson.  Am.  Cm.,  VII.  (1813)  131.  And.  Dm.  Biog.,  V. 
(1839)  111.     Jb.,  Birds  Am.,  V.  (1842)  277. 

Tringa  (heterqpoda)  temipalmata,  Nuttall.    Man.,  11.  (1834)  138. 
* 

Descbiption. 

Bill  about  the  length  of  the  head,  rather  thicker  than  usual  in  this  group;  both 
mandibles  somewhat  expanded  and  flattened  at  the  tip,  and  minutely  punctulated, 
M  in  the  genera  Scolopax  and  GaSinago;  wings  long;  legs  moderate,  rather  slen- 
der; toes  united  at  base  by  a  membrane,  which  is  large,  between  the  outer  and 
middle  toes,  extending  to  the  first  joint;  hind  toe  small;  tail  short,  with  the  middle 


< 


& 


THE   SEMIPALMATED   SANDPIPEU. 


451 


'Beach-bird"  by 
3  in  tho  autumn 
it  seems  to  move 
-ounds.  Accord- 
3ast  of  Hudson's 
,  a  rude  nest  of 
I  black,  on  which 

Early  in  Septom- 
t  returns  to  our 
dpipers  in  small 
teristics  of  these 
aves,  and  in  the 

and  crustaceans, 
emed  by  many,  a 


iiisidcrably  expanded,  by 
;t>,  independently  of  the 
4ua!i  the  tibii  uded 
basal  membrane  of  toes 
externally  not  quite  oa 
ids  beyond  the  second. 
)rtion  of  tibia  anteriorly. 


gtr. 

?. 

Bd  identical  with  Tnngn 

U.  Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  V. 
534)  136. 

iual  in  tliis  group;  both 
id  minutelj'  punctulated, 
;s  moderate,  rather  slen- 
,  between  the  outer  and 
lil  short,  with  the  middle 


featherB  longest;  outer  feathers  frequently  longer  than  the  th.rd,  presenfmg  a  doubly 
arXe  character  to  the  tail;  under  cover,,  nearly  a,  long  an  the  ad ;  up pe 
nar  li«ht  browni»h-a,hy,  with  lanceolate  or  ovate  spot,  of  brown.sh- black  n.  tho 
S  1  ^?  the  Lher,;r;mp  and  upper  tail  cover.,  black;  fr.nt  band  o  ..  eye 
:;d..ntire  under  part,,  a^hy-white.  with  ™all  spots  on  ''«;;;-  .^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
■11.  Krnwni.h  black  liL'hter  on  their  Inner  webs,  and  with  thcur  slialts  wnue, 
'''\  l^fTthers  of  the   tail   brownish-black;   outer  feathers  pale  brownisli-ashy; 

;irt  of2  ...rsus  and  toes  frequently  tinged  with  yellow ,  upper  parts,  m  summer, 
mixed  with  lisht-reddlsh ;  iris  brown. 

'rlT  leng'h,  about  six  and  a  half  inches;  wing,  three  and  three-quarters;  tad 
one  and  t'^-q^arters;  bill,  from  gape,  three-quarters,  tarsus,  three-quarters  to  one 

'"^  This  abundant  little  species  's  singularly  variable  in  t^e  length  of  tb    ,„,     „ 
much  so,  in  fact,  that  a  student  with  two  specimens  representing  c-xtreints  ,     this 
par     uUr  would  deem  it  quite  impossible  that  they  could  be  identical  specifically. 
'^    /],1-Entire  temperate  regions  of  North  America;  South  .ianerica. 

The  Semipalmated  Sandpiper  is  so  similar  in  its  general 
appearance  and  habits  with  the  common  "Peep,"  that  it  is 
usually  confounded  with  that  bird  by  all  our  sportsmen.  It 
appears  at  tho  same  time,  associates  with  it,  and  altogether 
might  easily  be  mistaken  for  it,  were  it  not  for  the  semi- 
palmation  of  this  species.     It  breeds  in  the  most  northern 

localities.  -n-         •     ti  ,> 

Mr.  Hutchins  says  that  it  arrives  at  Sever-i  River,  in  the 
fur  countries,  in  great  numbers,  about  the  middle  of  May 
where  it  builds  a  loose  nest  of  withered  grass  m  a  sliglit 
hollow  in  the  ground,  early  in  June,  and  lays  tour  white 
e<rgs,  spotted  with  black  or  dusky-brown.  Like  he  Com- 
mtn  Peep,"  the  fight  of  this  bird  is  rapid  and  wavering, 
almost.exactly  resembling  that  of  the  Snipe.  It  also  has  the 
same  soft  call-note,  Hweet  Hweet,  that  the  other  has  winch 
it  utters  frequently,  both  while  on  the  strand  and  when 
flying- 

Sub-Family  Totanin^.  —  The  Stilts. 

y.n\  as  long  OS  the  head,  or  longer ;  the  basal  portion  covered  ^i'**  '««;';  J  'J* 
tennlnal  portfon  (generally  at  least  half)  homy,  and  more  or  les    ««;-^   -  , 
pointed  in  Totme.;  the  lateral  grooves  of  bill  extending  to  the  horn>   t^m 
portion;  the  gape  of  mouth  extending  behind  th«  base  of  culmen    toes  generally 


Witfi 


i 


452 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


connected  by  a  basal  membrane;  the  tail  always  with  diHtinct  transvene  bars  in 
North-American  species,  except  in  Heteroscelus. 

This  sub-lamily  appears  to  dirt'er  from  most  Scolupaciiut  in  the  less  degree  of  sen- 
sitiveness in  tlie  tip  uf  the  bill,  whicli  is  more  horny,  and  not  covered  by  sol>  skin 
well  supplied  with  nerves.  The  toes  are  almost  always  connected  at  the  base  by  a 
membrane ;  this  being  the  rule  und  not  the  exception,  as  iu  Scohpacina. 


'I 


(^r 


SYMPHEMIA,  RAFiKKsguK. 

8t/mpheviia,  RAFiNKsquB,  Jour,  de  Phys.  (1819).  (Type  Scohpax  lemipalmata, 
Omelin.) 

Bill  compressed;  very  thick,  the  culmen  rounded;  the  lower  mandible  scarcely 
grooved;  the  upper  proovcd  to  about  the  middle;  cuhnen  slightly  convex;  gonys 
ascending;  bill  deft  but  little  beyond  base  of  culmen;  feathers  of  sides  of  both 
mandibles  falling  short  of  tlie  nostrils;  the  lower  rather  farther  forward;  chin  feath- 
ers reaching  to  beginning  of  nostrils;  bill  longer  thon  head,  about  equal  to  tarsus, 
which  is  more  than  one  and  a  half  times  the  middle  toe;  both  toes  webbed,  the 
emargination  of  iimer  web  as  far  forward  as  the  middle  of  basal  joint  of  middle  loe, 
the  outer  reaching  nearly  to  the  end ;  bare  portion  of  tibia  rather  less  tlian  middle 
toe  without  claw;  tail  nearly  eren,  or  little  rounded,  not  half  the  wings. 

SYMPHEMIA   SEMIPALMAU.  —  Hartlaub. 
The  Willet. 

Scohpax  temipalmatm,  Gmelin.  Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1788)  659.  Wils.  Am.  Cm.,  VII. 
(1813)27. 

Tolanue  semipnlmatus,  Audubon.  Cm.  Biog.,  III.  (1836)  510;  V.  585.  Birds 
Am.,  V.  (1842)  324. 

ToUimu  (caU^itrophorm)  semipalmatut,  Bonaparte.  Syn.  (1828),  328.  Nutt. 
Man.,  11.  (1834)  144. 

Symphema  temipalmata,  Hartlaub.    Rev.  Zool.  (1815),  842. 

Dkscription. 

Tlie  largest  American  species  of  this  genus;  bill  longer  than  the  head,  straight, 
rather  thick  and  strong ;  groove  in  the  upper  mandible  extending  about  half  its 
length,  in  the  lower  mandible  nearly  obsolete;  wings  long;  legs  long,  strong;  toes 
moderate,  united  at  base  by  membranes,  the  larger  of  which  unites  the  outer  and 
middle  toe ;  hind  toe  small ;  tail  short. 

Adult.  —  Entire  upper  parts  dark-ash  color  (without  spots);  the  shafts  of  the 
feathers  brownish-black;  rump  and  upper  tail  coverts  white;  un'ler  parts  white, 
tinged  with  a.shy  on  the  neck  and  sides;  axillaries  and  under  wing  coverts  brown- 
ish-black; primary  quills  white  at  base,  and  tipped  with  brownish-black;  secon- 
daries white,  spotted  with  brownish-black;  tail  a-shy-whitc,  the  two  middle  feathers 
strongly  tinged  with  ashy;  others  spotted  with  dark  a8hy-bro\vn;  bill  dark  bluish- 
brown,  lighter  at  base;  legs  light-blue. 

Younger.  —  Entire  plumage  spotted,  and  transversely  banded  with  b^o^^mish- 
black;  iris  brown. 

Tutal  length,  about  fifteen  inches;  w^ing,  eight  and  a  quarter;  tail,  three  and  a 
quarter;  bill,  about  two  and  a  half;  tarsus,  about  two  and  a  half  inches. 


■<4.  W 


h 


c 


'ansvene  ban  in 

ess  degree  of  Den* 
ered  by  noil  skin 
nt  tliu  base  by  a 
nctrus. 


>pax  ittnipalmata, 

iiondiblo  scarcely 
ly  convex;  gonys 
1  of  sides  of  both 
ward;  chin  feath- 
it  c(iual  to  tar»u8, 
I  toea  webbed,  the 
lint  of  middle  toe, 
r  leas  than  middle 
vings. 


Is.  Am.  Orn.,  VII. 
0;  V.  685.  Birds 
828),  328.    Nutt. 


he  head,  straight, 
ng  abont  half  its 
long,  strong;  toes 
es  the  outer  and 

the  shafts  of  the 
n'ler  parts  white, 
ng  coverts  brown- 
lish-black;  secon- 
0  middle  feathers 
bill  dark  bluish- 

d  with  brownish- 

;  tail,  three  and  a 
inches. 


i 


] 


THE   WILLET. 


468 


This  large  and  handsome  sp<cies  is  cosily  recognized,  and  is  abundant  ou  both 
the  Atlantic  aiW  I'acille  coasts  of  the  Uepublic.  There  is  very  consideriible  dilfcr- 
ence  of  color  bulwiuii  tliu  adult  and  young  birds;  but  the  white  space  on  the  wings 
is  a  cliaracter  always  present  and  easily  distinguished.  It  is  the  largest  bird  of  this 
group  inliabiting  tlio  United  States. 

//„4._Kmire  temperate  regions  of  North  America;  South  America. 

This  bird  is  not  very  abundant  on  the  shores  of  Now 
England  as  a  summer  visitor  and  resident;  Imt  it  is  ta!<en 
in  considerable  numbers  in  the  autumn.  It  occasionally 
breeds  within  our  limits,  usually  preferring  a  sandy  island 
to  the  main  shore ;  but  it  sometimes  selects  a  locality  in  a 
marsh  for  its  nest,  and  has  been  known  to  breed  in  a  rye- 
field  twenty-miles  from  the  seashore. 

The  nest  is  built  about  the  last  week  in  May.  It  is 
placed  in  a  slight  hollow  in  the  sand  or  in  n  tussock  of 
grass,  and  is  composed  of  grasses  and  weeds,  arranged  in  a 
heap,  sometimes  three  or  four  inches  in  depth.  It  is  hol- 
lowed an  inch  and  a  half  or  more,  and  is  sometimes  lined 
with  softer  pieces  of  grass  or  weeds.  The  eggs  are  four  in 
number:  they  are  pyriform  in  shape,  and  are  abruptly 
pointed  from  the  larger  end.  They  are  of  a  pale-olive  color, 
sometimes  greenish-drab  ;  and  are  marked  with  blotches  of 
two  or  three  shades  of  brown,  which  are  confluent  at  the 
larger  end,  and  sometimes  almost  entirely  hide  the  ground- 
color. 

They  vary  in  dimensions  from  2.15  by  1.58  inch  to  1.98 
by  1.45  inch.  When  its  breeding-place  is  approached,  the 
Willet  flies  to  meet  the  intruder",  and,  coursing  around  over 
his  head,  utters  its  shrill  cries,  like  the  syllables,  'pill-willet- 
Hit  pill  willet,  vociferously  ;  and  sometimes  darting  down  at 
him,  or  alighting  before  him,  it  endeavors  to  lead  him  from 
its  nest  by  pretending  lameness. 

When  the  young  are  able  to  fly,  the  whole  brood  associate 
with  the  parents  in  a  flock,  and  frequent  the  pools  and 
ditches  near  the  beach,  where  they  busily  wade  about  in  the 
water,  searching  for  small  shell-fish,  aquatic  insects,  mol- 
lusks,  &c.,  on  which  they  feed.     When  wounded,  they  take 


■■aftaKflK*^- 


i 


454 


ORNITHOLOGY    AND   OOLOGY. 


to  the  water,  and  swim  off  will  great  activity.  Tiioy  all 
leave  New  England  iu  October,  when  they  are  exceedingly 
fat  and  woU-fiavored. 


'1 


i 


GAMBRTTA,  Kaup. 

Gambettn,  Kacp,  Fntw.  Europ.  Tbierw.  (1829).     (Type  Soo%wi  e(didri$,  L. 

Gray)  .    ,  . 

Dili  much  attcnuatcil  towards  and  taporitiR  to  the  end,  th  -xtremo  tip  dc<  sirved ; 
both  culmei.  and  Ronya,  howevtr,  bent  upwards  from  tliu  middle;  tht<  Ini.ral 
grooves  of  upper  bill  broad,  shallow,  and  not  extending  to  the  middle;  thai  of  lower 
rwiching  about  as  far;  feathers  on  side  of  both  mandildes  extend  to  al  >ut  tbit  winm 
point,  but  fall  ^bort  of  nostrils;  those  on  chin  extv  d  as  far  as  middle  oi  /lostril;  bill 
nearly  as  Ion;;  mi  the  tarsus,  which  is  one  and  a  half  times  the  length  of  middle  toe; 
outer  to.:  ».bl...-d  to  ilrst  joint;  tlie  inner  web  very  Bb..rt;  bare  portion  of  the  tibia 
equal  to  the  tooi;  tip  of  Uil  about  opposite  the  middle  of  outstretched  tarsi ;  legu 
yellow. 

GAMBETTA   MELANOIiEnCA.  —  Bonaparte. 

The  Telltale;  Stone  Snipe;  Greater  Yellow-legs. 

Scolopax  melanokucua,  Ginclin.    Syst.  Nat.,  L  (1788)  669. 
Tolnnug  meUmoleucui  Audubon.     Urn.  Uiog.,  IV.  (1838)  88. 
Gnmhelta  mdanoleuca,  Honaparte.     Coinptes  Rendus  (Sept.,  1868). 
Scolupax  vocifenu,  Wilson.    Am.  Orn.,  VII.  (1813)  67. 

Description. 
Bill  lon^o^  than  the  head,  rather  slender,  curved  towards  the  tip;  wings  rather 
long,  first  quill  longest;  tail  short;  neck  and  legs  long;  toes  moderate,  marKined 
and  flattened  underneath,  connected  at  base  by  membranes,  the  larger  of  wbi.h 
unites  the  outer  and  middle  tot;  hind  toe  small;  claws  short,  blunt;  grooves  in  botli 
maudibU-s  extending  about  half  their  length;  entire  upper  parts  cinereous  of  various 
shade,  dark  in  miny  specimens  in  full  plumage,  generally  light  with  white  Imes  on 
Uie  head  and  neck,  and  with  spots  and  edgings  of  dull-white  on  the  other  upper 
parts;  lower  back  brownish-black;  rump  and  upper  tail  coverts  white,  generally 
with  more  or  less  imperfect  transverse  narrow  bands  of  brownish-black;  under 
parts  white,  with  longitudinal  marrow  stripes  on  the  neck,  and  transverse  cres- 
cent lanceolate  and  sagittate  spots  and  stripes  on  the  breu.t  and  sides;  abdomen 
pure-white;  quills  brownish-black  with  a  purplish  lustre,  shaft  of  first  primary 
white;  secondaries  and  tertinries  tipped  and  witii  transverse  bars  and  spots  of  ashy- 
white;  tail  white,  with  transverse  narrow  bands  of  brownish-black,  wider  ana 
darker  on  the  two  middle  feathers;  bill  brownish-black,  lighter  at  the  base;  legs 
yellow;  iris  dark-brown. 

Total  length,  about  fourteen  inches;  wing,  seven  and  a  half  to  eight;  tail,  three 
and  a  quarter  to  three  and  a  half;  bill,  two  and  a  quarter;  tarsus,  two  and  a  half 

inches. 

JEfoi.  —Entire  temperate  regiona  of  North  America;  Mexico. 


'ZliiiiumimSa^S 


i 


THE   YELLOW-LEOS. 


455 


ty.    Thoy  all 
e  cxcoedingly 


y>lopax  caUdrit,  L. 

Iremctii  I  -od! 
middles  ir.  li  ml 
iddic;  thai  of  lower 
I  to  ai  ''Ut  th(i  »am« 
iddlo  01  /jostril ;  liill 
;iigth  of  uii'ldlu  toe; 
portion  of  the  tibia 
jtretolied  tursi ;  Icgu 


s. 
egs. 

1866). 


he  tip;  wings  rather 
moderate,  margined 
the  larger  of  wliiih 
lunt;  grooves  in  both 
1  cinereous  of  various 
t  with  white  lines  on 
B  on  the  other  upper 
erts  white,  generally 
swnish-blaek ;  under 
and  transverse  cres- 
and  sides;  abdomen 
laft  of  first  primary 
irs  and  spots  of  ashy- 
ish-black,  wider  and 
tor  at  the  base;  legs 

f  to  eight;  tail,  three 
irsus,  two  and  a  half 


Tho  Orcttter  Yi-How-Io^h  is  not  common  in  New  Englftml ; 
a  few  beinjf  taken  annually. 

Nuttall,  iu  'loscribmg  its  habits,  Ac,  Bay», — 
"  The  Greator  yollow-HhankB,  or  Tclltulo,  so  remiirkable  for  its 
noise  and  vigiiiince,  arrivoH  on  the  coast  of  ho  MidtHc  States  oarl 
in  April,  and,  proceeding  principally  by  an  nland  route,  m  seen  in 
abundance  as  far  north  as  tho  plains  of  the  S  katchewnn,  whort-,  no 
doubt,  in  those  desolate  and  secluded  nmrsh<  .  fur  ironi  ihe  prying 
ey^^  and  persecuting  hand  of  niii",  the  principal  part  t  the  species 
pass  the  period  of  reproduction,  re-appearing  in  tlio  cooler  parts 
of  the  Union  towards  the  close  of  August :  yt^t  so  extensive  is  tho 
breeding  range  of  the  Telltale,  that  many  <-ontinue  to  occupy 
the  marshes  of  the  Middle  States  until  ih  approach  of  cold 
weather,  in  tho  month  of  November,  breeding  in  their  favorite 
resorts,  on  the  borders  of  bogs ;  securing  tho  nest  in  a  tuft  of  rank 
grass  or  sedge ;  and  laying  four  eggs,  of  a  dingy-whilf,  irregularly 
marked  with  spots  of  dark-browu  or  black." 

The  vociferous  vigilance  of  the  Telltale  has  justly  stig- 
matized him  with  the  present  name ;  for  no  sooner  does  tho 
gunner  appear  than  his  loud  ind  shrill  whistle  of  about  four 
rapidly  repeated  notes  is  instantly  heard,  as  he  mounts  on 
wing,  and  proves  generally  so  good  a  warning  to  all  the  rest 
of  his  feathered  neighbors,  and  particularly  the  vigilant  ducks, 
that  tho  whole,  to  the  frequent  Ui  appointment  of  the  fowler, 
vt  once  accompany  their  faithful  and  officious  sentinel. 

The  food  of  the  Telltale  is  similar  to  that  of  our  other 
shore  birds.  This  it  obtains  by  wading  in  the  pools  and 
ditches,  which  it  is  almost  constantly  doing ;  it  being  seldom 
seen  in  the  grass  or  running  on  the  beach  like  the  Sand- 
pipers. 

OAMBETTA  FLAVIPES.  —  JSonaparte. 
The  Tellow-Iegs. 
Scotcpaa  fiavipct,  Gmelin.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1788)  659.    Wils.  Am.  Om.,  VIT. 
1813)  65. 

Totanm  flavipes,  Audubon.    Om.  Biog.,  HI.  (1886)  678;  V.  686.    lb.,  Birds 
Am.,  V.  (1842)  313. 

Gambttiafiavipet,  Bonaparte.    Comptes  Rendus  (Sept.,  1866). 


46e 


ORNITHOLO(JY   AND   OOLOQT. 


DEsoniPTioit. 
Bill  rather  longer  than  the  head,  ilralKht,  slender,  comproii»cd ;  wins  long 
pointed!  tail  uliorti  Icgii  long,  lower  half  of  tlio  tibia  naked;  toon  moderato,  iil.'n- 
der,  marKined,  the  outer  Hnd  middle  united  at  bnnuj  rump  and  upper  tail  coverts 
while,  the  latter  trnniiversely  barred  with  ai.liy-browni  other  upper  partJt  nsliy,  many 
fcathem  havinK  largo  arrowheada  and  irregulor  upotii  of  brownihli-bliick,  and  edged 
with  B«hy-whitO!  under  partu  white,  with  numerous  longitudinal  lines  on  the  neek 
bt'f.irc,  and  arrowheads  on  the  sides,  of  dark  oshy-browni  axillaries  and  under 
•wing  coverts  white,  with  bands  of  ashy-brown,  very  indistinct  in  many  specimens, 
but  generally  well  defined;  quills  brownish-black;  tail  ashy-white  with  transverse 
bunds  of  dark-brown,  middle  feathers  darker i  bill  greenish-black j  legs  yellow;  iris 

dark-brown. 

I'ouiiy.— Entire  upper  plumage  tinged  with  reddish-brown;  neck  before  with 
lines  much  less  distinct  and  pale-ashy. 

Total  length,  about  ten  to  ten  and  a  half  Inches;  wing,  six  to  six  and  a  half; 
Ull,  two  and  a  half;  bill,  one  and  a  half;  tarsus,  two  Inches. 

ITrti.  —  Eastern  North  America;  western? 

The  Common  Yellow-logs  is  well  known  on  our  coast  as 
a  spring  and  autumn  visitor.  It  does  not  pause  here  in  its 
northern  migration,  but  passes  at  once  to  its  breeding-homo. 
This  is  generally  in  high  latitudes :  there,  early  in  Juno,  its 
nest  is  built  and  its  young  are  reared.  I  am  unacquainted 
with  its  breeding  habits  and  eggs,  and  can  find  no  descrip- 
tion of  them  in  any  book  that  I  have  access  to. 

Early  in  September,  it  returns  to  New  England,  where  it 
frequents  the  muddy  flats  and  marshes  on  the  seacoast,  and 
penetrates  into  the  interior.  It  is  also  sometimes  quite 
abundant  in  the  fresh-water  meadows  and  on  the  shores  of 
largo  ponds.  I  have  killed  numbers  while  Snipe-shooting : 
and  they  are  almost  equally  well-flavored  with  that  bird. 
They  congregate  in  small  flocks,  fly  rapidly,  uttering  a  loud, 
shrill  whistle,  which  being  imitated  by  the  experienced 
sportsmen,  the  whole  flock  is  decoyed  within  shot ;  and,  as 
they  fly  compactly,  quite  a  number  often  fall  at  a  single  dis- 
charge of  the  gun. 

Like  the  preceding,  this  bird  is  fond  of  wading  about  in 
pools  of  water,  where  it  secures  for  its  food  larvae  of  insects 
and  small  crustaceans.  With  one  or  two  of  our  other 
Waders,  it  has  the  peculiarity  of  keeping  its  wings  open 
and  elevated  after  alighting,  as  if  it  were  uncertain  of  the 


!iprcs3ci!i  wing  long 
;  toon  inodiirttto,  kIimi- 
ind  uppur  tnil  covert* 
pper  piirtH  nuliy,  ninny 
iilHli-bliick,  ami  e(l((u(l 
liiinl  linen  on  tliu  neck 
axillariea  and  undur 
;t  In  many  spccinuMH, 
-wliito  with  transvtTue 
lackj  legs  yellow)  iris 

wnt  neck  before  with 

alx  to  six  and  a  half; 

ea. 


on  our  coast  as 
jatiso  liore  in  its 
i  breodiug-home. 
arly  in  June,  its 
m  \inacquaiiitod 

I  find  no  descrip- 
;es8  to. 

ngland,  where  it 
the  seacoaat,  and 
sometimes  quite 
on  the  shores  of 
»  Snipe-shooting : 

with  that  bird. 
,  uttering  a  loud, 
the  experienced 
in  shot ;  and,  as 

II  at  a  single  dis- 

wading  about  in 
1  larvae  of  insects 
vo  of  our  other 
r  its  wings  open 
uncertain  of  the 


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THE  SOLITARY  SANDPIPER. 


467 


firmness  of  its  resting-place.  I  have  sometimes  thought 
that  it  might  be  a  liabit  caused  by  the  bird  frequenting  flats 
on  which  the  mud  was  soft  and  yielding.  This  is  one  of 
the  handsomest  of  our  Waders.  In  the  autumn,  it  is  fat, 
and  in  poor  plumage  ;  but  in  the  spring  it  is  in  good  condi- 
tion for  cabinet  preservation. 

KHYACOPHILUS,  Kaup.       • 

Bhycux^hilui,  Kaup,  Sk.  Entw.  Europ.  Th.  (1829).    (Type  Tringa  glareola,  L., 

Grav.) 

Bill  slender,  but  widening  a  little  towards  the  end;  lateral  Rrooves  of  both  man- 
dibles extending  to  the  middle  of  bill;  nostril  short;  feathers  on  side  of  bill  cxtend- 
ii-g  to  about  the  same  point  and  as  far  as  beginning  of  nostrils;  those  of  chin  as 
fur  as  their  end;  both  mandibles  curved  upwards  slightly  from  middle;  legs  short; 
b.il  about  the  length  of  tarsus,  which  is  equal  to  middle  toe;  bare  portion  of  tibia 
about  two-thirds  the  toes;  taU  about  opposite  the  middle  of  toes  when  outstretched. 

BHTACOPHILUS  SOLITAEITJS.  —  jBonoparte. 

The  Solitary  Sandpiper. 

Triiga  tolilaria,  Wilson.    Am.  Cm.,  VII.  (1813)  68. 

Totanui  soUiarius,  Audubon.    Birds  Am.,  V.  (1842)  809. 

Totanut  chUrropygiut.    Nutt.,  II.  159.    Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  IH.  (1835)  576;  V.  588. 

Description. 

Bill  rather  longer  than  the  head,  straight,  slender,  compressed;  both  mandibles 
with  narrow  grooves;  wing  long,  pointed;  tail  medium  or  rather  short,  rounded; 
logs  rather  long,  slender;  lower  half  of  the  tibia  naked;  toes  long,  the  outer  united 
to  the  middle  by  a  small  membrane,  flattened  underneath,  marginated;  upper  parU 
greenish-brown,  with  numerous  small  circular  and  irregular  spots  of  ashy-white; 
upper  tail  coverts  darker;  under  parts  white;  breast  and  neck  before  with  numerous 
longitudinal  lines  of  greenish-brown;  sides,  axillaries,  and  under  wing  coverts 
white,  with  numerous  transverse  narrow  bands  of  dark  greenish-brown;  under  tail 
coverts  white,  with  a  few  transverse  bands  of  dark-brown;  quills  brownish-black, 
with  a  slight  bronzed  or  reddish  lustre  on  the  primaries;  two  middle  feathers  of  the 
tail  greenish-brown;  other  feathers  of  the  tail  pure-white,  with  about  five  transverse 
bands  of  brownish-black;  bill  and  logs  dark  greenish-brown;  iris  hazel. 

Total  length,  about  eight  to  eight  and  a  half  inches;  wing,  five;  tail,  two  and  a 
luarter;  bill,  one  and  a  quarter;  tarsus,  one  and  a  quarter  inches. 

flafi.  —  Entire  temperate  regions  of  North  America;  Mexico. 

The  Solitary  Sandpiper  is  not  very  common  in  any  part 
of  New  England.  It  arrives  from  the  South  early  in  May 
in  pairs,  and  frequents  the  shores  of  our  fresh-water  ponds 


iMliiii 


tmmuttmmmmm 


■MPII  M>WW!WP«llW!'il'!ii'?gPy  " 


458 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


and  Streams  in  preference  to  those  of  the  seacoast,  where, 
running  about  with  great  activity,  it  busies  itself  in  search- 
ing for  the  larvae  of  various  aquatic  insects,  of  which  its 
food  principally  consists.    Like  the  succeeding  species,  it 
has  the  habit  of  nodding  its  head,  and  tipping  up  its  body 
and  tail,  which  has  given  it  the  name  of  "Wagtail,     or 
"Teetler."    Nuttall  says  that  it  is  seen  in  Massachusetts 
only  at  the  commencement  of  cold  weather.    I  have  fre- 
quently met  with  it,  both  on  our  seashores  and  m  the 
meadows  around  our  fresh-water  ponds,  through  the  whole 
summer.    Several  pairs  reside  through  the  season  on  the 
borders  of  Punkapoag  Pond,  in  Canton,  Mass.;  and  they 
undoubtedly  breed  there,  although  I  have  been  unable  to 
find  their  nest.    This  species  remains  with  us  until  late  in 
September.    When  flushed,  it  rises  with  a  short,  sharp 
whistle,  dififerent  from  that  of  the  Spotted  Sandpiper,  which 
it  resembles  in  ahnost  every  other  respect. 


TRINGOIDES,  Bohapartk. 


(Type  Tringa  hypo- 


Tringoides,  Bonapabtb,  Saggio  di  una  dist.,  etc.  (1881). 

leuctu,  L.,  Gray.)  „    ,  ,,o.i. 

^cW  BoiE,  I8W  (1822),  560.    Notof  Dliger,  ProdromuB  (1811). 

Uppe"  manJible  grooved  to  the  terminal  fourth,  the  bill  tapering  and  rather 
^utefcleft  ^f  mouth'Tnly  moderate,  the  culmen  about  five-sixths  the  comm.sBure, 
Sers  extending  rather  further  on  side  of  lower  jaw  than  upper,  the  former  reach. 
Sg  a^^a^t  the  beginning  of  the  nostrils,  those  of  the  chin  to  '^^o.i ^-l^^^'H 
m  shorter  than  the  head,  straight,  equal  to  the  tarsus,  which  .s  of  theje--^  "^ 
middle  toe  and  claw,  bare  part  of  tibia  half  the  tarsus,  outer  toe  webbed  to  first 
TJitiTnl:  cleft  abo^t  to  the  base,  taU  much  rounded,  more  than  half  the  wmg. 

TMKQOIDES  MACULABIUS.  —  Graj. 
The  Spotted  Sandpiper. 
Tringa  macularia,  Linna,us.    Syst.  Nat.,  L  (1766)  240.    Wil..  Am.  Om.,  VH. 

^"  rl'l  ^nacularius,  Nuttall.     Man.,  H.  (1884)  162.    And.  Om.  Biog..  IV. 
(1888)  81.    Jb.,  Birds  Am.,  V.  (1842)  803. 

Tringoidet  maaUaritu,  Gray,  genera. 

Dkscriptios. 

Small,  bill  rather  longer  than  the  head,  straight,  slender,  long  grooves  fa  both 
J£,  Ig  rather  long,  pointed,  taU  medium,  rounded,  legs  rather  long, 


%iliiidil1^ffli'l1iWfiiift^ifitf'^'^'^"''•^' 


THE   SPOTTED   SANDPIPER. 


459 


ast,  where, 
in  search- 
f  wliich  its 
species,  it 
up  its  body 
'agtail,"  or 
.ssachusetts 
I  liave  fre- 
aud  in  the 
h  the  whole 
ason  on  the 
.;  and  they 
n  unable  to 
untU  late  in 
thort,  sharp 
piper,  which 


rpe  TVinja  hypo- 

t). 

ering  and  rather 

the  commisaure; 

the  former  reach- 
)Out  their  middle ; 

of  the  leu^  of 
)e  webbed  to  first 
a.  half  the  wing. 


8.  Am.  Om.,  Vn. 
Om.  Biog.,  IV. 


ig  grooves  in  both 
legs  rather  long; 


lower  third  of  the  tibia  naked;  toes  long,  margined,  and  flattened  underneath: 
outer  connected  with  tl..  middle  toe  by  a  large  membrane;  mner  very  sl.ghtly 
connected  to  the  middle  too,  upper  parts  brownish  olive-green,  w.th  a  Bomewhat 
metallic  or  bron.ed  lustre,  and  with  numerous  longituduml  hues,  and  sagittate, 
lanceolate,  and  irregular  spots  of  brownish-black,  having  the  same  lustre,  Ime 
over  the  eye,  and  entire  under  parts  white,  with  numerous  circular  and  oval  spots 
of  brownish-black,  smaller  on  the  throat,  largest  on  the  abdomen ;  qu.lls  brown,  w.th 
a  green  lustre,  primaries  slightly  tipped  with  white,  and  havmg  a  wh.te  spot 
on  their  inner  edges,  secondaries  white  at  their  bases,  and  tipped  w.th  white,  mid- 
dle feathers  of  the  tail  same  green  as  other  upper  parts,  outer  tipped  with  white, 
and  with  irregular  bars  of  brownish-black,  bill  yelkiwish-green,  tipped  w.th  brown; 

feet  reddish-vellow,  iris  hazel. 

Young  less  bronzed  above,  and  under  parts  white,  without  spots.  

Total  length,  seven  and  a  half  to  eight  inches,  wing,  four  and  a  half,  tail,  two, 
bill,  one ,  tarsus,  rather  less  than  one  inch. 

IZoA.— Entire  temperate  North  America,  Oregon,  Europe. 

Perhaps  none  of  our  summer  residents  are  distributed  so 
generally  and  so  abundantly  throughout  New  England  as 
the  species  now  before  us.    Every  pond  and  stream  of 
water  has  two  or  three  pairs  breeding  on  its  shores ;  and  it 
is  as  abundant  in  the  most  thickly  settled  m  i:  the  more 
retired  and  sec/ Med  localities.    It  arrives  from  the  South 
about  the  first  week  in  April ;  and,  separating  into  pairs,  it 
soon  commences  the  duties  of  incubation.    It  manifests  no 
preference  for  a  location  near  the  seacoast  to  one  in  the 
interior;  and  I  have  found  it  breeding  as  abundantly  m 
the  depths  of  the  Maine  forests  as  on  the  low  sandy  islands, 
or  in  the  marshes  by  our  seacoast.    The  female,  about  the 
third  week  in  April,  scratches  a  hollow  in  the  sandy  earth 
by  some  pond,  or  sometimes  in  a  grain-field  or  garden;  and, 
lining  it  with  a  few  pieces  of  straw  or  moss,  lays  four 
eggs,  which  sLe  adjusts  with  their  small  ends  together 
in  the  middle  of  the  nest.    These  eggs  are  usually  abruptly 
p-riform,  sometimes  a  little  more  lengthened  ;  and  are  of  a 
yoUowish-buff  color,  marked  with  blotches  and  spots  of 
umber  and  sienna,  thickest  at  their  greater  end,  where  they 
are  sometimes  confluent.     Occasionally,  the  primary  color  is 
of  a  yellowish-drab  tint,  when  the  spots  are  much  darker 
than  on  the  other  shade.     A  great  number  of  specimens  in 
my  collection  from  many  different  localities  exhibit  a  varia- 


liMn»«sMMMM«iawM« 


IMOMIWI 


:! 


460  ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 

tion  of  size  from  1.40  by  1  inch  to  1.26  by  .95  inch.  I  can 
BGO  no  marked  peculiarity  in  any  series  of  specimens,  except- 
ing that  those  collected  in  the  interior  of  Maine  average 
a  little  larger  than  those  from  the  seacoast. 

The  flight  of  the  Spotted  Sandpiper  is  generally  low,  its 
wings  being  kept  bent  at  an  angle  beneath  its  body.  It  has 
a  peculiar  note,  like  peet-weet,  peet-weet,  easily  recogmzed. 


ACTITUBUS,    BONAPABTK. 

AcHturvs,  BONAPABTB,  Saggio,  etc.,  (1831).     (Type  Tringa  Bartramia,  Wil- 

'""upper  mandible  grooved  laterally  to  within  the  terminal  Iburth,  the  lower  not 
quite  so  mr;  culmen  concave  to  near  the  tip,  where  it  '«  *!'8"«y  f«"'";^^'J"^'^ 
Btraight;  mouth  deeply  deft,  almost  as  far  back  as  the  anterior  canthus;  *e;"ta  " 
only  ab.^ut  two-thlrds  the  commissure,  shorter  than  the  head  or  tarsus,  and  about 
equal  to  middle  toe  without  claw;  feathers  extending  much  further  forward  on  he 
upper  jaw  than  on  the  lower,  although  those  of  chin  reach  nearly  to  end  of  nostril  , 
uTus  one  and  a  half  times  middle  toe  and  claw,  the  bare  part  of  Ub.a  not  qu.U 
equal  to  the  middle  toe  above;  outer  toe  united  at  base  as  far  as  first  joint;  web  of 
inner  toe  very  basal ;  tail  long,  graduated,  more  than  half  the  wmgs. 

ACTITUBUS   BAETEAMIUS. — Bonaparte. 

The  Upland  Plover;  Bartram'B  Sandpiper;  Field  Plover. 

rmja  Bartramia,  Wilson.    Am.  Cm.,  VIL  (1818)  68.    And.  Birds  Amer.,  V. 

(1842)  248. 

Totamu  BaHramus,  Audubon.    Om.  Biog.,  IV.  (1888)  24. 
Tringa  (EuUga)  Bartramia,  Nuttall.    Man.,  II.  (1884)  168. 

Description. 
Bill  about  as  long  as  the  head,  rather  wide  and  flattened  at  base,  curved  at  the 
tip-  nostril  with  a  lar^e  membrane;  nasal  groove  long;  wing  long;  tail  long  for  this 
^uj  tgs  moderate  or  rather  long;  lower  half  of  the  tibia  naked,  toes  mc^era^e 
Z  outer  and  middle  toe  united  by  a  membr«ie,  inner  and  middle  ft^e  to  the  b«e^ 
hind  toe  small;  general  color  of  the  upper  parts  brownish-black,  with  a  greenish  lus- 
tre.  and  with  tke  feathers  edged  with  ashy-white  and  yellowish,  the  latusr  espec.a  ly 
on  the  wing  coverU;  lower  part  of  the  back,  rump,  and  upper  Uil  -v«>^'^™^ 
black;  lateral  coverU  of  the  tail  yellowish-white,  with  arrow-heads  and  imgu  ar 
spoU  ^f  black;  wide  stripe  over  the  eye,  and  entire  under  parts  very  pale  yellow  sh- 
wWte,  nearly  ^ure-white  on  the  abdomen;  neck  before  with  numerous  longitudmal 
lines  ;f  bro^sh-black;  breast  and  sides  with  waved  and  pointed  »';;!>«-"«  nanow 
bands  of  the  same;  a.xillary  feathers  and  under  wing  coverts  pure-white  wij  nu.n^ 
rous  nearly  regular  transverse  narrow  bands  of  black;  quills  bro^vnish-black,  ,^th 
numerous  transverse  bands  of  white  on  their  inner  webs,  very  conBp.cuous  on  tU 
under  surface  of  the  wing;  shaft  of  fin.t  primaiy  white;  middle  feathers  of  the  tail 


ich.  I  can 
sns,  except- 
ne  average 

illy  low,  its 
dy.  It  has 
cognized. 


Bartramia,  Wil- 
li, the  lower  not 
lecurved;  gonys 
hus ;  the  culmen 
irsua,  and  about 
r  forward  on  the 
I  end  of  nostrils ; 
of  tibia  not  quite 
rst  joint;  web  of 


over. 

,  Birds  Amer.,  V. 


ise,  curved  at  the 
;  tail  long  for  this 
id;  toes  moderate, 

free  to  the  base, 
'ith  a  greenish  lus- 
16  latter  especially 
coverts,  brownish- 
:ads  and  irregular 
jry  pale  yellowish- 
erous  longitudinal 

transverse  narrow 
-white,  with  nuine- 
awnish-black,  with 
lonspicuous  on  tne 
feathers  of  the  tail 


i 


I 


CabaaU 


Oamida  Urousc,  Tetrao  Canadensis.     Liniin>u«. 
KilUlccr  VloveT,  Aegialilis  rocifirus.     Ca«sln. 
SomipalmatBd  I'lOTcr,  Aegialitis  semipalmatus. 
AmiTlcan  Woodcock,  Phiiohela  minor.     Gray. 
Wilson's  Snipe,  Gallinaeo  Wilsonii      Uonapartc. 
Upland  or  Field  I'loTcr,  Actilurus  Burlramius.     liouapart«. 
Virginia  Uall,  Uallus  Virginianus.     l/mnoDUS. 
Carolina  Hall,  Porzana  Carolina.     Vicillot. 


\ 


immm 


»itvminmiim\m«imi'mimti 


H(a«WM9*»«»W* 


,) 


1: 


iL 


THE  UPLAND   PLOVER. 


461 


,.mo  greenUh-hrown  M  the  b.ck.  with  lrr.K"Ur  .nd  mperfect  tr  „,ve  c  bnn  U  of 
bU-kfoutor  feather,  pal«  r.ul,U,h-ye.low.  e,l«e,l  un,l  „p,.a  wUl.  ;""  • ;"'' ''^ 
.everal  irregular  tran,ver.«  baudn  a.ul  a  l.rR..  .ubten.unal  um.w-bead  o.  back, 
m  grecnilv-llow.  with  the  under  ...aixlibb,  more  clear  yellow  toward,  .t,  ba... 
tip  brownmh-blacki  leg.  llBht-yrUow ;  toe»  darker;  Ins  haze  . 

Total  length,  about  twelve  Inehea;  wing,  »ix  and  a  half;  tail,  three  and  a  half. 
//»A.-lCtt«t4.rn  North  America,  South  America,  Kurope. 

Kver3wher«  in  the  interior  of  the  State,  on  the  Atlantic,  thi.  .  the  mo.t  abun- 
dant a,?d  be.t-known  -pecie,  of  thi.  group.  Unlike  nearly  .11  other,  tlu,  b.rd 
pr."er,  plain,  and  cultivated  field.,  and  i.  one  of  the  .pecie.  wh.ch  ha»  not  de.rea.ed 
n  number,  on  account  of  the  extension  of  cultivation  and  the  .ctlement  o.  the 
oun  try.  On  the  contrary,  it  .p,H.»r.  to  be  quite  at  home  in  the  tann  Ian  .and 
rear.  if.  young  in  the  tleld.  of  gra..  and  grain  in  the  mo.t  populou.  rural  d.tricU 
of  the  country. 

This  bird,  commonly  known  as  the  «  Upland  Plover,"  is 
not  abundant  in  Now  England  as  a  summer  resident.    It 
breeds  sparingly  in  all  these  States,  arriving  in  pairs  about 
tlie  10th  of  April.     It  is  less  aquatic  than  most  of  the 
other  species  in  this  order,  and   frequents   old   pastures, 
Btubble-fields,  and  cornfields,  in  preference  to  meadows  and 
flats      It  begins  to  nest  about  the  last  week  in  May.    It  is 
quite  shy  at  all  times,  and  difficult  of  approach,  and  I  have 
spent  half  a  day  in  one  pasture  before  I  could  find  the  nest ; 
both  old  birds  keeping  up  their  shrill  whistle,  and  flying 
about  me  always  out  of  gunshot.     The  nest  is  placed  in  a 
Blight  hollow  in  the  ground,  and  is  constructed  of  a  few 
loose   straws  and  leaves,  arranged  in  a  circular  manner. 
The  eggs  are  four  in  number,  sometimes  three.     They  arc 
more  ovoidal  in  form  than  most  of  our  other  Waders'  eggs, 
and  almost  exactly  resemble  those  of  tho  Woodcock,  but 
average  considerably  larger ;  varying  from  1.92  by  1.31  inch 
(from  Wisconsin)  to  1.70  by  1.25  (from  Massachusetts). 
The  primary  color  of  some  specimens  is  a  buff,  while  others 
are  of  a  creamy-drab:  they  are  marked  with  spots  of  two 
shades  of  brown,  and  obscure  spots  of  lilac. 

By  the  middle  of  August,  and  from  then  until  late  m 
September,  these  Plovers  assemble  in  small  flocks  of  eight 
or  ten  individuals.  They  then  frequent  hilly  pastures,  both 
on  the  seacoast  and  in  the  interior,  where  they  feed  on 


rr 


46!S 


onwTnoLoaY  and  ooLonr. 


grisshoppors,  crickota,  grains,  and  sooda.  Tlioy  aro  then  in 
g(od  condition,  and  of  delicato  flavor  on  tlio  table,  and  are 
naich  pursued  l)y  Hportsnien ;  bnt,  as  thoy  aro  swiiVHying 
birds,  and  very  sliy,  it  requires  a  ujoro  than  ordinary  sliot  to 
Ifig  many  of  tlieui. 


TRYNGITES,  Cabanu. 


(Typ«    Tringa  nifttctnt. 


TringittB,  CABAtiis,  Jour.  iUr    Orn.  (1868),  «lb. 

Vieillot.) 

Upper  mandiblo  grooved  to  about,  the  terminal  fourth;  tlio  lower  not  quite  no 
far;  lulmcn  and  Ronvd  about  MraiKht;  mouth  deeply  cleft  more  than  half-way  to 
the  eyes  the  culmcn  about  two-thirdii  tlie  comminMirei  culmcn  much  sliortcr  than  the 
head,  and  about  equal  to  middle  toe  without  ciaw;  tarnui*  at«)ut  one  and  onc-nixth 
as  long  ax  mid.lle  toe  and  claw;  bare  part  of  tibia  decidedly  shorter  than  middle  too 
without  claw;  toes  cleft  to  the  bane,  with  only  a  very  rudimentnrj-  web:  upper  jaw 
feathered  to  the  noKtriin;  the  side  of  the  lower  and  beneath  fentlicred  much  furth.ir, 
or  to  the  end  of  the  noslriU;  the  interspace  of  the  rami  entirely  tilled ;  Uil  some- 
what  graduated,  not  half  the  wing. 


TRTHQITES    HUFESCEN8.  —  CabanU. 

The  Buff-breait«d  Sandpiper. 

Tringa  ru/eictm,  Nuttall.    Man.,  II.  (1884)  118.    Aud.  Om.  Bioj;.,  III.  (1886) 
461.    lb.,  Birds  Am.,  V.  (1842)  264. 

DKBcniPTtos. 
Bill  about  the  length  of  the  head,  straight,  compressed,  narrow  at  the  point; 
nasal  groove  long;  wings  verj-long;  first  quill  longest;  tertiaries  rather  shorter; 
tail  moderate  or  longer  than  usual  in  this  group;  legs  rather  long;  lower  third  of  the 
tibia  nailed;  toes  fVeo  at  base,  flattened  underneath,  and  slightly  margined;  hind 
toe  small;  upper  parts  pale  and  dull  ashy-brown  with  a  yellowish  tinge;  every 
feather  with  a  large  central,  lanceolate,  crescent-shaped,  or  oblong  spot  of  black, 
frequently  with  a  glossy-green  tinge,  especially  on  the  back  and  shorter  tertiaries; 
under  parts  light  yellowish-red,  or  pale-fawn  color ;  many  feathers  tipped  with  white, 
and  paler  on  the  flanks  and  abdomen,  on  the  breast  with  partially  concealed  small 
spots  of  black;  axillary  feathers  white;  quills  with  their  outer  webs  light-brown, 
inner  webs  ashy-white,  marbled  with  black  and  narrowly  tipped  with  white;  middle 
tail  feathers  brownish-black;  outer  feathers  lighter,  with  transverse  waved  lines  of 
black,  and  tipped  with  white;  bill  black;  legs  greenish-yellow;  iris  hazel. 

Total  length,  seven  and  a  half  to  eight  inches;  wings,  five  and  a  half;  tail, 
three;  hill,  from  gape,  one;  tarsus,  one  and  a  quarter  inches. 

.Hni.— All  of  North  America,  South  America,  Europe. 

This  is  a  little  bird  of  rather  peculiar  style  of  form,  and  of  remarkable  and  hand- 
some plumage.  Its  relationship  appears  to  be  to  the  preceding  well-known  species. 
Both  this  and  the  preceding  bird  more  habitually  frequent  plains  and  other  diy 
localities  than  any  of  the  true  Sandpipers. 


T" 


1 


y  nro  tlion  in 
iblo,  and  aro 
0  Hwiirrflyinji 
liuary  shot  to 


Tringn  niftieem, 

owcr  not  quite  "o 
B  than  Imll'-WBy  to 
cli  aliorter  thiui  the 
one  anil  oiic-sixtli 
ler  than  middle  to« 
rj'  web;  upper  jaw 
•red  iniicli  further, 
y  filled  i  uUiomd- 


Bioj?.,  III.  (1885) 


irrow  at  the  point; 
ries  rather  shorter; 
■;  lower  third  of  the 
tly  margined ;  hind 
Dwish  tinge;  every 
long  spot  of  black, 
I  shorter  tertiariea; 
'9  tipped  with  white, 
illy  concealed  small 
r  webs  light-brown, 

with  white;  middle 
erse  waved  lines  of 

iris  hazel. 
re  and  a  half;  tail. 


tnarkable  and  hand- 
well-known  species. 
lains  and  other  dry 


THE   MARBLED   OODWIT. 


46S 


Tho  BuflT-broaBted  Sandpipor,  altliough  not  abundant  on 
tlio  pliorcs  of  New  England,  is  by  no  means  rare,  in  tho 
months  of  Anj^u«t  and  September,  when  it  is  returning 
from  its  nortliern  breeding-places.  It  is  seldom  boon  hero 
in  spring ;  but  it  seems  to  pass  over  New  England  in  its 
northorn  flight.  Of  its  breeding  habits,  nest,  eggs,  Ac, 
wo  aro  ignorant.  Audubon  was  of  tho  opinion  that  it  broods 
about  the  arctic  seas,  as  ho  had  seen  a  wing  of  this  bird 
that  came  from  thoro  ;  but  he  know  nothing  of  its  breeding 
habits  whatcvor. 

In  the  autunm,  while  with  us,  it  does  not  frequent  the 
beach  as  much  as  it  does  the  marshes  and  flats  in  its  vicin- 
ity, where  it  is  known  as  one  of  tho  "  Grass-birds  "  to  our 
gunners.  It  feeds  upon  grasshoppers  and  other  insects, 
and  becomes  very  fat;  so  much  so,  that  skinning  it  for 
cabinet  preservation,  at  that  season,  is  almor  an  impos- 
sibility. 


Section  LiMOSEJE. 

Bill  longer  than  the  tarsus,  curving  slightly  upwards  towards  the  end,  where  it  is 
thickened;  both  mandibles  grooved  for  nearly  the  whole  lengUi;  gape  of  mouth 
very  short,  not  extending  beyond  the  base  of  culmen. 

LIMOSA,  Bbisson. 

Limota,  Bmsson,  Om.  (1760).    (Type  8cdopnx  Kmosa,  L.) 

Bill  lengthened,  exceeding  the  tarsus,  slender,  and  curving  gently  upwards; 
grooved  to  near  tho  tip;  the  tip  not  attenuated,  but  pointed;  the  lower  almost  as 
long  as  the  upper;  culmen  without  any  furrow;  tarsus  with  transverse  scutella 
before  and  behind,  reticulated  laterally;  a  short  basal  membrane  between  the  middle 
and  outer  toesi  tail  short,  even. 

LIMOSA   FEDOA.  — (iinn.)  Ord. 

The  Marbled  Oodwit. 

Seoltpaa  fedoa,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  VII.  (18 18)  80. 

lAmosa  fedoa,  NuttaU.  Man.,  U.  (1884)  178.  And.  Om.  Biog.,  III.  (1886)  287} 
V.  690. 


I 


■^•'•^liMiiiiiiiiiliiiMiiiMi'iitiiiiiiii 


464 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


Description.  i  ^  ^   i  ,- 

long;  tibia  with  its  lower  ha    naked;  teBrathe^^^^^^^^^^ 

neath,  the  outer  '"''d  "'"l'^  ^h!  ckandpale  reddTsM^ 

parts  variegated  w^thbro^^^^^^^^^^^ 

lar  and  confluent  bands,  and  the  latter. nsp_         ^  .'^^     i^.^ed  on  the  rump  and 

mens  the  black  color  predom.natmg  on  the  ^j!'-  «^<^;      ^  ,j„^,  ,f  browni.h-blaek 

base,  brownish-black  at  the  end;  legs  "'1'^-^"'*  ^^^^^  ,„a  ^  half;  bill,  four 

Total  length,  about  eighteen  niches;  wmg,  nine,  tan, 

to  five;  tarsus,  three  inches;  iris,  bjoj"'  ^^^,^  America. 

f/«i.- Entire  t^-^P^^'V'^K/L^^  known  to  sportsmen  as  the  Godwit,  and  a 
A  large  and  handsome  ^^^^l^^^^^^^^n^Xe  surveying  expeditions,  it 

coast  of  the  United  States. 

It  is  only  in  the  spring  and  antamn  migrations  tiiat  tlie 
GrearSled  God'it  is  found  in  New  England  ;-«>,; 
lose  times  it  make,  only  a  short  stay,  parfeularl,  m  the 

""Ttoy  arrive  from  the  sonth  early  in  May,  and  pass  to  the 
mrnoZm  eountries,  where  they  pass  the  season  of 

'"  Of  «;  breeding  habits  I  am  ignorant,  and  I  have  no 
.Egs  in  my  eollection  to  give  a  description  here. 

In  the  autumn,  even  as  early  as  the  middle  of  August, 
fliks  of  t^  or  a  do.eu  birds  appear  in  the  marshes  on  the 

rrt  of  Massaehusetts;  ^^^f^:^:^i:r::!^z 

rr-  "C"™  ::urb;r '^-en  --Bough-  or 
«C"  Bird      and,  as  they  are  in  good  condition  and  wel 
flavored  they  are  ii  great  repute,  and  are  hunted  with  great 

raT::di  r;  .andtuTgTe'at  numbers.  They  meet 
^th  aTaTy  sale  n  our  markets,  at  very  remunera  ive 
:1  ane  I  have  known  of  two  gunners  realmng  sixty 
K    Tthe  proceeds  of  one  day's  shooting. 


Iiiii™*^'"-- 


X 


THE   HUDSONIAN   GODWIT. 


466 


;;  tail  short;  legs 
1  flattened  under- 
me ;  entire  upper 
isposed  in  irrcgu- 
3  J  in  many  speci- 
on  the  rump  and 
>f  brownifh-black 
ker  rufras;  outer 
jrics  Ight-rufousi 
-yellowish,  red  at 

d  a  half;  bill,  four 

nerica. 

the  Godwit,  and  a 
ing  expedition?,  it 

as  on  the  eastern 


tions  that  the 
rland;  and  at 
icularly  in  the 

nd  pass  to  the 
the  season  of 

and  I  have  no 

here. 
,dle  of  August, 
marshes  on  the 
s  uniting  their 
birds  are  found 
n  "  Dough  "  or 
dition  and  well 
mted  with  great 
i\  themselves  in 

Golden  Plover 
lers.  They  meet 
■y  remunerative 
1  realizing  sixty 
ting. 


At  chis  season,  these  birds  associate  with  other  species ; 
and  it  is  a  common  occurrence  to  bring  to  the  ground,  at 
one  discharge  of  the  gun  into  one  of  tl-.ese  flocks,  two  or 
three  different  species. 

By  the  20th  of  September,  they  have  left  our  shores. 
They  are  most  abundant  about  the  first  week  in  that  month- 

IIMOSA  HUDSONICA.  — Sujatnwn. 

The  Hudsonian  Godwit, 

Scolopax  Budsmica,  Latham.    Ind.  Orn.,  II.  (1790)  720.  „„„„,,,„, 

LiJ,a  nmUonica.    Sw.  F.  B.  A.,  II.  (1831)  396.     Nutt.  Man.,  II.  (1834)  irt. 

And.  Om.  Biog.,  III.  (1885)  426 ;  V.  592.    lb.,  Birds  Am.,  V.  (1842)  335 

DKScnimoN. 
Smaller  than  the  preceding;  bill  longer  than  the  head;  both  mandibles  grooved, 

slightly  recurved;  wings  long;  legs  moderate;  membrane  uniting  the  outer  and 

middle  too  large. 

^daJi.- Upper  parts  brownish-black,  with  spots  and  transverse  bars  of  pale- 
reddish  on  the  back ;  rump  brownish-black;  upper  tail  coverts  white;  wing  coverU 
and  shorter  quills  dark-cinereous;  primaries  brownish-black;  under  parts  yellowish- 
red  with  fansverse  bars  of  brownish-biack  on  the  breast  and  sides  and  under  tail 
coverts,  and  frequently  with  the  feathers  on  the  abdnmen  widely  tipped  with  white; 
tail  black,  with  the  base  white,  and  narrowly  tipped  with  white;  under  wing  coverts 
and  axillary  feathers  black;  shafts  of  primaries  white;  bill  pale-yellowish  at  base; 
tip  brownish-black;  legs  bluish-brown.  - 

rouBoer.-  Head  and  upper  parts  cinereous,  irregularly  marked  on  the  top  of  the 
head,  and  on  the  back,  with  brownish-black:  stripe  before,  and  over  the  eye,  white; 
under  parts  dull  yellowish-white;  under  wing  coverts  and  axillariea  b  ack;  rump 
black;  upper  tail  coverts  white;  tail  black;  base  a..d  tip  white ;  bill  yellow,  tipped 
witli  brownish-black;  legs  dark-brown;  iris  brown. 

Total  lengUi,  about  fifteen  inches;  wing,  eight;  tail,  three;  bill,  two  and  three- 
quarters  to  three  and  a  half;  tarsus,  two  and  a  half  inches. 

This  species  is  less  abundant  than  the  preceding,  seldom 
more  than  a  half-dozen  specimens  being  taken  in  a  season 
on  our  coast.  It  associates  with  the  other,  and  has  all  its 
habits  and  characteristics.  It  is  called,  by  the  gunners,  the 
«  Smaller  Doe-bird." 

Like  the  Greater  Godwit,  it  breeds  in  the  most  northern 
sections  of  the  country.  I  have  no  specimen  of  its  egg 
hy  me,  and  can  give  no  description  of  its  breeding  habits 

here. 

80 


iigff"^»-^'^"-i 


466 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


IfxjMENIUS,  hvfVMVB. 

manes. 

SDMEHIOS  I.OHQIBOSTMS.—  WU$on. 
The  Long-biUed  Curlew;  SieUe-blU  Cnrlew. 

(1884)88.    Aud.  Cm.  Biog.,IU.(1885)  ^40,    v.  <""•         . 
M.  Dmobiptiou. 

The  largest  A.encan  species  of  ^^^^^^^l^i^X'^r.T^^  "'^^ 
mandiblelongerthantheundcr  somewhat  knobbed  at^c  J,         g  ^.^^ 

legs  moderate;  toes  united  at  ba«e;  «"»»«  »PP«  ^s  of  brownish-blaclc,  most 

as'by,  every  feather  -l"--«;SJ,nnn^^^^^ 

numerous  aHd  predom.naung^*;^^^^''"/^^ 

wing  coverts,  and  axaiar.es  bn6hMuft|«,pr«nar^  ^^^^^       ^^^^^ 

black,  and  *«- Jnner  weH  r^^^^^^^^  ^„^  ^.,^^,  ^.„  ,„fo^, 

^"f"""*;,:!   t"rfnst«^^^^^^^^  brownish-biack,  bill  brownish-biack; 

ttnged  w.^  ■'^y'.  r^"*'2.veilow:  legs  bluish-brown,  specimens  vary  to  some 

to  eight;  tarsus,  two  and  a  quarter  mches.  .       .^. 

Ja6.-The  entire  temperate  regions  of  North  Amenca. 

This  species  is  not  very  abundant  on  our  coast  m  the 
Bpring  and  autumn.  Wilson,  in  descnbmg  its  habits, 
says,—  . 

«  Like  the  preceding,  this  bird  is  an  inhabitant  of  ^--^^^^'^^ 
vicinity  of  the  sea.  It  is  also  found  in  the  .ntenor,  where,  from 
Z  long  bill,  and  loud,  whistling  note,  it  is  generally  known. 

.  The  Srlews  apj^ar  in  the  salt  marshes  of  New  Jersey  about 
the  Sdl^Jf  May,Tn  their  way  to  the  -rth;  and  in^P-ber 
on  their  return  from  their  breeding-places.     Their  food  consists 
oWeflv  of  smaU  «^ab.;,  which  they  are  very  dexterous  at  probmg 

feeil  t^ose  sLu  sea-snails  so  abundant  in  the  marshes,  and  on 


j^ 


THE  SHORT-BILLED  OB  HUDSONUN   CURLEW. 


467 


rquata,!,.) 
i  behind  with  smaU 
(red  downwards  for 
laterally,  and  club- 
lals  as  long  u  pri- 


w. 

14.    Nutt.  Man.,  II. 
Ids  Am.,  VI.  (1843) 


much  curved;  upper 
);  wing  rather  long; 
e-rufous,  tinged  with 
brownish-black,  most 
Bcondary  quills,  under 
r  outer  webs  brownish- 
f  black;  under  parts 
.nd  sides;  tail  rufous, 
bill  brownish-black; 
^cimens  vary  to  some 
sry  much  iu  the  length 
oung;  iris  hazel, 
in;  tail,  ibur;  bill,  five 


aur  coast  in  the 
bing   its  habits, 

It  of  marshes  in  the 
iterior,  where,  from 
■ally  known. 
F  New  Jersey  about 
and  in  September, 
Their  food  consists 
sxterous  at  probing 
jng  bills ;  they  also 
he  marshes,  and  on 


various  worms  and  insects.  They  are  likewise  fond  of  bramble- 
berries,  frequentmg  the  fields  and  uplands  in  search  of  this  fruit, 
on  which  they  get  very  fat,  and  are  then  tender  and  good  eating, 
altogether  free  from  the  sedgy  taste  with  which  their  flesh  is  usually 
tamted  while  they  feed  in  the  salt  marshes. 

"  The  Curlews  fly  high,  generally  in  a  wedge-like  form,  somewhat 
resembling  certain  Ducks,  occasionally  uttering  their  loud,  whistling 
note,  by  a  dexterous  imitation  of  which  a  whole  flock  may  some- 
times be  enticed  within  gunshot,  while  the  cries  of  the  wounded 
are  sure  to  detain  them  untU  the  gunner  has  made  repeated  shots 
and  great  havoo  among  them." 

The  eggs  of  the  Long-billed  Curlew  are  four  in  num 
ber.     They  are  pyriform  in  shape,  and  almost  exactly 
resemble  the  eggs  of   the  Willet,  but   are  considerably 
larger ;  their  dimensions  being  2.75  inch  in  length  by  1.96 

in  breadth. 

Along  the  shores  of  the  northern  side  of  Cape  Cod,  this 
species  is  most  abundant  in  the  autumnal  flight,  where  it 
appears  in  flocks  of  fifteen  or  twenty.  Like  many  others  of 
our  shore-birds,  it  is  taken,  with  the  aid  of  decoys,  by  per- 
sons concealed  in  pits ;  and,  being  a  delicate  and  well-con- 
ditioned bir.d,_it  is  in  high  esteem,  and  much  sought  for  in 
the  markets  where  it  is  exposed  for  sale. 

HUHEBIUS  HUDSOHICUS.  — ixirtam. 

'     ■  The  Short-billed  or  Hndsoniu  Curlew. 

Soolopax  borecdtB,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  VII.  (1818)  23. 

Numeniiu  Hudionicm,  Nuttall.     Man.,  II.  (1884)  97.    Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  IIL 
(1885)  288;  V.  589.    lb.,  Birds  Am.,  VL  (1848)  42. 

Descriptioh. 
Smaller  than  the  preceding;  bill  about  twice  the  length  of  the  head;  wmgslong; 
tail  short;  legs  moderate;  head  above  brownish-black,  with  a  longitudinal  band: 
other  upper  parts  brox/nish-black,  tinged  with  ashy,  spotted  with  dull  yellowish- 
•  white,  and  lighter  on  the  rump;  under  parts  dull  yellowish-white,  with  longitudmal 
narrow  stripes  of  blackish^brown  on  the  neck  and  breast;  under  wing  coverts  and 
axiUaries  pale  ashy-rufous,  transversely  barred  with  black;  quills  brownish-black, 
with  Uansverse  bars  of  pale-rufous  on  the  inner  webs;  tail  brownish-black,  with 


— ■:— '■in-T""'"™" 


aumumk' 


4P,8  ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 

frequent  in  the  United  States  than  the  precedmg. 

Total  length,  about  eighteen  inches;  wmg,  nme;  toil,  four,  bill,  three 

"T<;rrt;l:raT;Patm:  coast,  of  ^rth  America,   California  (Mr.  C.s- 
sidy). 

This  species  is  rare  in  New  England.  I  have  never  met 
with  it  alive,  and  will  have  to  depend  upon  the  observations 
of  others.    Wilson  says,— 

"Thfe  Short-biUed  Curlew  arrives  in  large  flocks  on  the  seacoast 
of  New  Jersey  early  in  May,  from  the  South;  frequents  the  salt 
xnarshes,  muddy  shores,  and  inlets,  feeding  on  --^1  yj-  ^^ 
nxinute  shell-fish.    They  are  most  commonly  seen  on  mud-flats  at  low 
Tater,  in  company  with  various  other  Waders ;  and,  at  h>gh  water, 
Toam  along  the  marshes.     They  fly  highland  with  great  raptd.ty. 
aTw  are  seen  in  June,  and  as  late  as  the  beginning  of  July,  when 
they  generally  move  off  toward  the  North.     Their  appearance  on 
theL'occasions  is  very  interesting :  they  collect  together  from  th^ 
marshes,  as  if  by  premediUted  design,  nse  to  a  grea   height  in 
r  air,  usually  an  hour  before  sunset;  and,  forming  m  one  vast 
ne,  klep  up  a  constant  whistling  on  their  way  to  the  north,  as 
if  conversing  with  one  another  to  render  the  journey  more  agree- 
able." 

Nuttall  says, — 

"From  the  middle  of  August  to  the  beginning  of  September, 
they  arrive  in  the  vicinity  of  Massachusetts  Bay  and  other  parts  of 
New  England,  frequenting  the  pastures  as  well  as  marshes,  and 
fatten  on  grasshoppers  and  berries  till  the  time  of  their  departure, 
about  the  close  of  September." 


THE  ESQUIMAUX  CURLEW. 


409 


*  lower  mandible 
de  of  the  lighter 

lis  bird  is  repre- 
lut  ia  much  less 

lill,  three  to  four; 
ifomia  (Mr.  Ca- 
ve never  met 
observations 

on  the  seacoast 
n|iients  the  salt 
lall  •worms  and 
mud-flats  at  low 
,  at  high  water, 

great  rapidity, 
g  of  July,  when 

appearance  on 
wether  from  the 
great  lieight  in 
ling  in  one  vast 
to  the  north,  as 
ney  more  agree- 


ig  of  September, 

ad  other  parts  of 

as  marshes,  and 

their  departure, 


NUMENinS  BOBEALIS.  — Za/Aam. 

The  Esquimaux  Curlew. 

Numentut  borenlis,  Nuttall.  Man.,  II.  (1834)  100.  Aud.  Om.  Biog,,  III.  (1886) 
39;  V.  690.    lb.,  Birds  Am.,  VI.  (1843)  45. 

Description. 

Much  smaller  than  either  of  the  preceding,  but  rescmblin/;  N.  Hiuhnnicus  in  cdlor : 
bill  rather  longer  than  the  head,  slender;  wings  long;  tail  short;  legs  niodinitc: 
entire  upper  parts  brownish-black,  spotted  with  dull  yellowish-rufous;  qiiills  brcnvji- 
ish-black,  uniform  on  both  webs,  without  bars  on  either;  under  wing  coverts  and 
axillaries  light-rufous,  with  transverse  stripes  of  brownish-black;  uiKier  jiarts  dull 
white,  tinged  with  rufous,  with  longitudinal  narrow  stripes  of  browni.sli-black  (ju  the 
neck  and  breast,  and  transverse  stripes  of  the  same  on  the  sides  and  under  tail 
coverts;  tail  ashy-brown,  with  frpn.sverse  bands  of  brownish-black ;  bill  biownish- 
black;   base  of  under  mandible  yellow;  legs  greenish-brown;   iris  dark-brown. 

Total  length,  about  thirteen  and  a  half  inches;  wing,  eight  and  a  quarter;  tail, 
three;  bill,  two  and  a  quarter  to  two  and  a  half;  tarsus,  one  and  three-<(uarters 
inches. 

This  small  and  interesting  Curlew  is  merely  a  bird  of  passage  in  the  United 
States,  to  be  met  with  in  the  spring  and  autumn.  It  ia  easily  distinguished  from 
either  of  the  preceding  by  its  small  size  and  its  comparatively  short  and  weak  bill. 
We  have  never  seen  it  frond  the  western  countries  of  the  United  States. 

It  is  only  in  the  migrations  that  this  bird  visits  New 
England,  and  then  only  in  small  numbers.  They  make 
their  appearance  by  the  last  week  in  April,  and  pass  to  tlio 
most  northern  sections,  where  they  breed,  and  then  return 
here  about  the  first  week  in  September. 

Says  Nuttall,  "On  the  13th  of  June,  1822,  Dr.  Rich- 
ardson discovered  one  of  these  Curlews  sitting  on  throe 
eggs,  on  the  shore  of  Point  Lake.  When  approached,  she 
ran  a  short  distance  from  the  nest,  crouching  near  to  tlio 
ground,  and  then  stopped  to  watch  the  motions  of  her 
encroaching  visitor.  The  eggs,  sometimes  as  many  as  four, 
have  a  pyriform  shape,  and  a  siskin-green  color,  clouded 
with  a  few  irregular  spots  of  bright  umber-brown." 

On  their  return  in  autumn,  this  Curlew  has  all  the  habits 
.of  the  two  preceding  species :  like  them,  "  they  are  remark- 
ably gregarious,  each  company  seeming  to  follow  some  tem- 
porary leader ;  and,  on  starting  to  fly,  a  sort  of  watch-cry 
is  heard,  resembling  the  whistling  pronunciation   of  the 


470  ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 

word  heaee.  On  their  arrival  from  the  North,  they  are 
very  fat,  plump,  and  well  flavored,  ajid.  included,  like  the 
preceding  and  the  Marbled  Godwit,  under  the  general  name 
of  Doe-birds :  they  are  sought  out  by  epicures,  and  enhance 
the  value  of  a  table  entertainment."  They  frequent  the 
marshes  and  adjoining  pastures,  where  they  feed  much  upon 
grasshoppers  and  other  insects  and  earthworms,  which  they 
collect  principally  towards  evening,  or  early  in  the  morning. 


Tribe  PALUDiOOLiE.* 

Species  living  in  marshes,  -.rith  elevated  bodies,  much  compressed  laterally; 
usually  with  longernecks  than  most  Snipe,  with  moderatfilTlong.  strong,  and  stout 
bills,  also  much  compressed,  and  covered  at  tip  by  a  homy  investment,  the  remammg 
portion  membranous,  with  elongated  nasal  furrow,  and  narrow,  more  «'  '«;;  P«rf°'- 
ate,  nostrils;  the  lores  are  feathered  uniformly  as  in  the  i.m,cofa,.  the  rest  of  the 
plumage  without  the  spotting  of  the  Snipes,  wings  rather  short  "^o"*  ""ff  ^il  i^ 
Linted,  and  when  folded  do  not  reach  beyond  the  ''»>«"^' ""«•  ""t/"*''' '*''''" 
fact  se  dom  to  iU  base,  the  outer  two  or  three  primaries  generally  abbreviated;  the 
Ss  are °™ry  long,  cleft  to  the  base,  thin,  and  generally  with  very  long  claws, 
rsame  isle  cL  with  the  hmd  toe.  which  is  not  only  much  longer  than  m  the 
iimtcote,  but  is  generally  inserted  more  nearly  on  the  same  level  with  the  antenor 
ones,  touching  the  ground  for  most  of  its  extent.  .„<>  „„fl  i- 

The  species  pick  up  their  food  on  the  surface,  and  do  not  probe  the  soft  mud  in 

"'"The^North-American  species  of  this  tribe  are  few  in  number,  though  vory  abun- 
dant in  individuals.  Their  habit  of  close  concealment  among  the  n^eds  and  grass 
of  ma«hy  places  renders  them  very  difficult  of  detection,  except  when  the.r  abodes 
are  more  or  less  submerged. 

Suh-Family 'RkiAAJSM.^  The  Rath. 

BALLUS,  LiNS^iuB. 

RaUm,  LiKHiBOS,  Syst.  Nat  „.„JiKi.  oii„htIv 

Bill  longer  than  the  head,  rather  slender,  compressed,  upper  mandible  slightly 
curved,  nostrils  in  a  long  groove,  and  with  a  large  membrane,  "TTt  J!1Z 
quills  long,  frequently  longer  than  the  primaries,  tail  very  short,  legs  mode«te, 
ursns  shorter  than  the  middle  toe.  and  covered  on  all  sides  with  transverse  ««d^ 
Z  long  and  rather  slender,  inner  toe  rather  shorter  than  the  outer,  hind  toe  short 
and  weak. 

1  See  Introduction. 


;h,  they  are 
ed,  like  the 
eneral  name 
and  enhance 
"requent  the 
I  much  upon 
,  which  they 
the  morning. 


pressed  laterally; 
,  strong,  and  stout 
jnt;  the  remaining 
ore  or  less  perfor- 
to;  the  rest  of  the 
nore  rounded  than 
and  feeble  tail,  in 
f  abbreviated ;  the 
very  long  claws; 
onger  than  in  the 
I  with  the  anterior 

«  the  soft  mud  in 

though  vory  abun- 
le  reeds  and  grass 
t  when  their  abodes 


r  mandible  slightly 
rings  short ;  tertiary 
ort;  legs  moderate; 
th  transverse  scales  ^ 
uter;  hind  toe  short 


-a«L- 


HlllPl'  'II 


jip..».^a^^..^,-,.»  -.:.,.  »a.>^.>^j».v-,  ■  .-,»- 


-./I- 


^^- 


m 


n 


tHB  ChkVVt,^  BAIL. 


471 


r 


D»t.iinTio«.  j,^^ni9li-b1»ck,  most 

„j  a»y  „,Mrf™i»».  »■'•■'  .    s„  Eng- 

Thi,  boautiM  bird  -  '"  7;t;*;.tragg.er  from  i» 
laud,  that  it  en  >»  fj'tu  ^Uif  of  *«  fo««."8 
-""■""  andt  egg.  "X— Ue  tbo»  «t  the  Capper 
E:t:t:vt'rge't.utoue-Mtb  larger. 

.„««  or^"^.  r^Iui«B'"3  v!^i..B.d.A...v.(^s«)^- 
(l8^8)^la.  Aud.Om.B.og.,IUai«») 

DEBCBimos.  .         b„„ai,h-bl.ck,  mo.t 

-"■'"""  ■^         ,  ,„  th.  Middle  and  Southern 

Thi,  bird,  «.  7»» '°'7erElg  and  «  -  »«»"'-'"'- 


t 


472 


OaMTHOLOOY   AND   OOLOGY. 


It  begins  to  btiild  about  the  10th  of  May.    Tho  nest  ih 
placed  o!i  th»  grcund  in  a  marHh,  flomctimcH  in  a  tusHock  <.t 
™  or  on  a  pile  of  «caw«cd :  it  i«  conHtrncted  of  a  la.K« 
maso  of  dried  granseH  and  woedH,  and  iH  but  btt lo  bollowud. 
Tl»o  eggs  are  from  five  to  seven  or  eight  in  nunibor.     Umv 
forn.  iH  UHually  ovoidul,  and  their  primary  color  dull  creamy- 
drab  or  dirty-bulV.    Tliis  is  marked  more  or  less  thickly  with 
snots  and  blotches  of  different  shades  of  brown  and  obscur." 
g nots  of  lilac.     The  nearest  in  resemblance  to  these  eggn 
are  those  of  tho  Woodcock  ;  but,  when  a  number  of  each  arc 
placed  side  l)y  side,  tho  eggs  of  the  latter  may  bo  readdy 
identified  by  their  generally  more   pyrilbrm   shape.     The 
dimensions   of   tho   eggs  of  tho  Clapper   Had  vary  .nji 
182   by  1.25   u>ch   to   IM  by  1.14   inch.     The  greater 
number  of  spots   are  more  of  a  purplish  tint;   and  they 
are  generally  rather  sparingly  distributed  over  the  entire 

^^The  habits  of  this  species  are  similar  to  those  of  the  fol- 
lowing; but  the  Clapper  Rail  seems  to  prefer  for  its  home 
the  marshes  in  the  neighborhood  of  salt  water. 


\ 


HALLUS    VIRGIHIANDS.  — /.«nn«M- 
The  Virginia  Rail.' 

Ballu*  r,rsimanu,,  Linno^u..    S.v«t.  Nat.,  I.  (1766)  2C3.    Y'l'/ggM  ^"v  IJs 
(1813)  109.    Nutt.  Man.,  H.  (1H34)  206.    Aud.  Cm.  B.og.,  III.  (1885)  41,  V.  578. 

lb.,  Birds  Am.,  V.  (1842)  174. 

Desckiption. 

Much  Bmaller  than  either  of  the  preceding,  but  resembling  them  in  form,  and 

White ,  neck  "e  ore  an  ^  ^^^  ^.^^^.  ^^^^^  ^^^  ^^,.^^8 

"^Z^r^::^:^^^^  -ru  b,.eU.  with  tranter,  linea  of  wh.te; 
"^Jota^:nth  ;u  ,mtipofbilltoendoftail),ao.  .nd  a  half  inche,,  wing, 

four;  tail,  one  and  a  half  inches. 

This  handsome  species  is  pretty  generally  distributed 
throughout  New  England  as  a  summer  resident.    Unlike 


i: 


~mm 


THE   VmciINIA    lUIL. 


473 


ncHt  iH 
lock  <>r 
a,  largi! 
UowimI. 
Tluiir 
jroaiuy- 
dy  with 
obscure 

3acli  aro 
readily 
0.  Tl)« 
ry  ;r>  -a 
greater 
lid  thoy 
lO  entire 

the  fol- 
it9  home 


a.  Om.,  VII. 
)41i  V.  673. 


in  form,  and 
lon(?itu'linal 
white;  throHt 
1  coverts  ■with 
r  wing  coverts 
lies  of  white ; 

inches  wing, 


iistributed 
t.    UuUke 


the  prooodiiiR,  it  locates  ItHolf  in  the  tVcHh-wator  nioad- 
owfl,  whore,  in  a  tuHBoik  of  ^vann  or  iu  a  pilo  of  drift- 
wcoti,  it  forms  it^  wmt,  ThiH  ii  nuth'iig  Imt  a  pilo  of 
woods  or  grass,  wliich  it  arrangos  in  a  compact  niaimtn-, 
ond  hollows  to  tho  depth  of  porliaps  an  inch  or  an  incli  and 

a  half. 

Tho  eggs  are  from  six  to  ton  in  niiinbor,  usually  alumt 
seven.  Thoy  aro  ovoidal  in  form,  and  generally  seem  to  ho 
like  a  miniature  of  those  of  tho  Clapper  Rail:  some  spcci- 
mons,  collected  in  Cambridge,  Mass.,  aro  of  a  doo|)-l)nrt  eolur ; 
hut  none  approach  tho  color  of  tho  Cnroliiia  Rail  sufTiciently 
to  bo  mistaken  for  tliom.  They  aro  sputtod  with  small 
marks  of  reddish  and  brown,  and  with  a  few  obscure  8{)()ts 
of  lilac.  Thoy  vary  in  their  dimensions  from  l.oO  by  .1)0  to 
1.23  by  .90  inch. 

This  species  is  undoubtedly  more  abundant  in  New 
England,  particularly  in  its  southern  portions,  than  most  per- 
Bons  generally  believe.  It  is  of  very  retiring  habits  ;  and  as 
it  selects  the  almost  inaccessible  meadows  and  boggy  swamps 
for  its  summer  homo,  and,  when  approached,  quickly  retreats 
into  tho  farthest  recesses,  I  am  not  surprised  that  it  is  in 
most  cases  overlooked.  I  have  found  it  breeding  in  many 
localities  in  Massachusetts,  and  have  no  hesitation  in  call- 
ing it  one  of  tho  commonest  of  our  Qrallatores.  It  feeds 
only  during  the  twilight  and  in  early  dawn,  and  remains 
concealed  in  tho  grass  during  the  greater  part  of  tho  day. 
Its  food  consists  of  various  insects  and  worms,  such  as  aro 
abundant  iu  the  localities  which  it  frequents.  It  leaves  New 
England  for  the  South  by  the  10th  of  September. 

PORZANA,  ViEiLi^T. 

Pwrnna,  Vikillot,  Anal.,  p.  61  (1816),  61.    (Type  Rallu$ porzana,  L.) 
Bill  shorter  than  the  heud,  compressed,  straight;  nostrils  in  a  wide  groove,  with 
<»  large  membrane;  wings  ra<yierate;  primaries  longer  than  tertiaries;  tail  short; 
tarsus  about  the  length  of  tlio  middle  toe;  toes  long;  inner  toe  slightly  shorter  than 
the  outer;  general  form  compressed  and  slender;  legs  rather  robust. 


l:;:i 


iU 


OBNITHOLOaY  AND  OOLOGY. 


PO&ZAHA  OABOUNA. 
yC  The  Carolina  BaU;  Ortolan.  — 
iJaK«,(CVea,)Can,/«t«,  Bonaparte.    Ob..  WUe.  U823).  No.  280.    Natt.  Man.. 

"•  TtyPra  CarcU,.,  Audubon.    Birds  Am..  V.  (1842)  1«. 

Descmptios. 
Space  around  the  baee  of  the  biU.  extending  downward,  on  the  neck  before  and 
over  the  top  of  the  head,  black.  lonritudinal  bands  of  black,  and 

J/a/e.-Upper  parts  e™*"'«l>-''™7"V^    „„  ^5=' "j'     .  behind  the  eye,  sides 
„,any  feathers  having  narrow  str.^sc^whUe  on  th^red^^^^^^^        ^^^  J^^^^^^ 

of  the  neck,  and  the  breast,  fi"'^*'^"';^."^^' ^„„  ^^  under  tail  coverta  white, 

yellow;  legs  dark-green. 

^e™ale.-8J«lax  bu^^^^^^^^^^^  bill  orontheneck,  throat dull-white, 

inches. 

This  species,  like  the  Virginia  Rail,  is  probably  more 
abundant  in  our  fresh-water  meadows  than  is  generally  suj^ 
posed     It  arrives  in  April,  about  the  16th ;  and,  separa  mg 
C  pairs,  takes  up  its  residence  in  the  inland  marshes 
where  it  Leeds,  and  remains  until  its  departure  for  the 
lou  h,  about  the'  middle  of  October.    Early  in  May  the  sea. 
L  of  incubation  commences.    The  nes   is  constructed  of 
pieces  of  straw  and  weed,  arranged  in  a  large  pile  and  hoi- 
Twed  to  the  depth  of  an  inch  or  more :  ^^^^^fYZt 
in  a  tussock  of  grass,  or  beneath  a  piece  of  ^    A  speci 
„.en  which  I  found  in  Dedham  meadows  was  built  beneath 
some  thick  cranberry-vines,  and  I  have  known  of  others 
Tng  placed  in  small  brier  patches;  but  genera  ly    he 
S  is  built  in  rn  open  meadow,  usually  on  an  elevated 
Tssock  in  a  boggv  tract  of  gromid.    The  eggs  vary  from 
five  tl  ei^it  or  te' i  in  number :  their  form  is  almost  always 
an  exact  ovoidal.    Their  color  is  a  yellow-drab,  with  a  faint- 
raTet:  tint,  different  from  the  c.lor  of  any  of  our  o^. 
Rail's  eggs.    They  vary  in  dimensions  from  1.35  by  1  inch 
(Qumcy,  Mass.)  to  1.15  by  .85  inch  (Albion,  Wis.).    The 


THE   YELLOW  BAIL. 


476 


0.    Natt.  Man., 


neck  before  and 

I  of  black,  Bnd 
id  the  eye,  sides 
9  and  transverse 
jl  coverts  white; 
te;  biUgreenish- 


;hroat  dull-white; 
(is  chestnut, 
quarter;  tail,  two 

obably  more 
enerally  sup- 
d,  separating 
Lnd  marshes, 
rture  for  the 
May  the  sea- 
uistructed  of 
pile,  and  hol- 
isually  placed 
Lirf.    A  speci- 
built  beneath 
iwn  of  others 
generally  the 
n  an  elevated 
ggs  vary  from 
almost  always 
b,  with  a  faint- 
y  of  our  other 
L.35  by  1  inch 
I,  Wis.).    The 


average  size  is  about  1.26  by  1.92  (Cambridge  and  Need- 

ham,  Mass.). 

After  leaving  New  England  and  other  northern  breeding- 
places,  this  species  congregates  in  great  numbers  on  the 
shores  of  some  of  the  southern  streams  and  bays,  where 
they  furnish  much  sport  to  the  gunners  of  those  localities. 

POBZAHJi  HOVEBOBAGEHSIS. 

The  Yellow  Rail. 

Ortyffometra  NoveboraceniU,  Audubon.    Birds  Am.,  V.  (1842)  162. 
Rallta  Noveboracemii  Audubon.    Om.  Biog.,  IV.  (1888)  261. 

Dbscbiptiok. 

Entire  upper  parts  ochre-yeUow,  with  longitudinal  wide  stripes  of  brownish-black 
»nd  transverse  narrow  stripes  of  white;  neck  and  breast  reddish  ochre-yellow; 
many  feathers  tipped  with  brown;  middle  of  abdomen  white;  flanks  and  ventral 
region  with  wide  transverse  bands  of  dark  reddish-brown  and  narrow  bands  of 
white;  under  tail  coverto  rufous,  with  smaU  spota  of  white;  under  wing  coverts 
white;  iris  hazel. 

Total  length  (fVom  tip  of  bill  to  end  of  tail),  about  six  inches;  wmg,  three  and  a 
quarter;  tail,  one  and  three-quarters  inches. 

This  beautiful  bird  is  an  exceedingly  rare  spring  and 
autumn  visitor  in  New  England.  I  have,  in  a  number  of 
years'  shooting,  been  able  to  procure  but  two ;  and  have 
not  heard  of  more  than  two  or  three  more  being  taken  here. 
it  has  all  the  characteristics  of  the  other  species,  but  prefers 
the  fresh-water  meadows  to  the  salt  marshes.^  Dr.  Richard- 
son, in  his  "  Northern  Zoology,"  says,  "  This  elegant  bird 
is  an  inhabitant  of  the  marshes  on  the  coast  of  Hudson's 
Bay,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Severn  River,  from  the  middle 
of  May  to  the  end  of  September.  It  never  flies  above 
sixty  yards  at  a  time,  but  runs  with  great  rapidity  among 
the  long  grass  near  the  shores.  In  the  morning  and  evening, 
it  utters  a  note  which  resembles  the  striking  of  a  flint  and 
steel :  at  other  times,  it  makes  a  shrieking  noise.  It  builds 
no  nest,  but  lays  from  ten  to  sixteen  white  eggs  among  the 
gras«." 

1  The  specimens  that  I  procured  were  found  in  fresh-water  meadows  early  in 
September. 


y 


pulp 


476 


OBNITHOLOOY  AND  OOLOGY. 


♦     I 


FULICA,  LiNN^us. 

Fuhea  L1SN.EII8,  Syat.  Nat  (1735).  (Type  Fulica  <Ura,  L.) 
S  shorter  ti  he  head,  straight,  strong,  compressed,  and  advanc.ng  mto  th« 
feath  s  of  the  forehead,  .vhere  it  frequently  forms  a  wide  and  somewhat  project^ 
fronlTnTate-  nostrils  in  a  groove,  with  a  large  membrane  near  the  m.ddle  of  the 
llwiCratherBhort,  second  a'nd  third  quilU  usually  longest,  tail  very  shor  ; 
tr  'us"  bust,  shorter  thJn  the  middle  toe,  with  very  distinct  t^--- -;^=;;  ^^ 
!",g,  each  toe  havmg  semicircular  lobes,  larger  on  the  mner  «do  of  the  toe,  hind 
toe  rather  long,  lobed. 

FULICA  AMEEICANA.— OmeJJB. 
The  Coot;  Poule  d'eau;  Mud-hen. 
FuUca  Americana,  Gmelin.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1788)  704.    Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  III. 
(1885)  291;  V.  668.     lb.,  Birds  Am.,  VI.  (1842)  188. 
FiMca  atra,  Wilson.    Am.  Cm.,  IX.  (1826)  61. 

DESCRimON. 

Head  and  neck  glossy-black,  with  a  tinge  of  ashy;  under  tail  coverts  white; 
entS  other  plumage  daA  bluish-cinereous  or  slate-color,  with  a  fnge  0  ol.ve  on 
the  back  and  darkef  on  the  rump;  edge  of  wing  at  shoulder  and  edge  of  fi«t  pn- 
m  ^whUe,  secondary  quills  tipped  with  white,  rump  frequently  t-nged  w,th 
Wnish;  bill  very  pale-yellow  or  nearly  white,  with  a  t™"-e^« '7'^,"^^,^  "T";^ 
ish-black  near  the  end;  tip  white;  legs  dull  grayish-green.  Female  similar  but 
wUh  the  tiZ  lighter.  Young  like  tne  adult,  but  with  the  under  parts  lighter; 
TbLen  CueS  a»hy-«»>i^;  ^-k  aud  rump  dark  olive-brown;  head  and  neck 
lighter;  iris  reddish-hazel.  . 

Total  length,  about  fourteen  inches;  wing,  seven;  tail,  two  inches. 

This  species  probably  breeds  iu  all  the  New-England 
States,  but  not  abundantly.  It  prefers  the  neighborhood  of 
some  small  muddy  pond  for  its  habitation;  and  its  nest  is 
usually  built  in  an  almost  inaccessible  bog.  Of  the  charac- 
ter of  the  nest,  I  am  ignorant,  but  judge  that  it  resembles 
that  of  the  other  members  of  this  family. 

The  eggs  are  from  eight  to  twelve  in  number.  Iheir 
form  is  an  elongated  ovoid.  Their  color  is  a  pale  yellowish- 
buff,  or  dirty-cream  tint;  and  they  are  marked  with  fine  dots 
and  spots  of  dark-umber  and  obscure  fine  dots  of  lilac. 
In  all  the  specimens  that  I  have  examined,  these  dots  are 
pretty  thickly  distributed  or  sprinkled,  but  are  in  no  case 
confluent  into  blotches.  Their  dimensions  vary  from  2.10 
by  1.35  to  2  by  1.28  inch. 


NOTES. 


477 


) 

advancing  into  tho 
somewhat  projecting 
ar  tlie  middle  of  the 
est;  tail  very  short; 
niisverse  scales ;  toes 
lido  of  the  toe;  hind 


Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  HI. 


er  tail  coverts  white; 
th  a  tinge  of  olive  on 
and  edge  of  first  pri- 
requentlj-  tinged  with 
Bverse  band  of  brown- 
Female  similar,  but 
>  under  parts  lighter; 
rown;  head  and  neck 

0  inches. 

le  New-England 
neighborhood  of 
;  and  its  nest  is 
Of  the  charac- 
hat  it  resembleti 

number.  Their 
a  pale  yellowish- 
:ed  with  fine  dots 
no  dots  of  lilac, 
id,  these  dots  are 
it  are  in  no  case 
IS  vary  from  2.10 


This  species  is  more  abundant  in  the  early  spruig  and 
autumn  than  in  the  rest  of  the  season;  and  I  infer  from 
this  that  it  breeds  principally  in  the  northern  countries. 

Wilson  describes  its  general  habits  in  the  following  lan- 
guage :  — 

"  This  species  makes  its  appearance  in  Pennsylvania  about  the 
first  of  October.     Among  the  muddy  flats  and  islands  of  the  river 
Delaware,  which  are  periodically  overflowed,  and  which  are  over- 
•rrown  with  the  reed,  or  wild  oats  and  rushes,  the  Coots  are  found. 
They  are  not  numerous,  and  are  seldom  seen,  except  their  places 
of  resort  be  covered  with  water:  in  that  case,  they  are  generally 
found  sitting  on  the  fallen  reed,  waiting  for  the  ebb  of  the  tide, 
which  will  enable  them  to  feed.     Their  food  consists  of  various 
aquatic  plants,  seeds,  insects,  and,  it  is  said,  small  fish.     The  Coot 
has  an  aversion  to  take  wing,  and  can  seldom  be  sprung  in  its 
retreat  at  low  water:  for,  although  it  walks  rather  awkwardly,  yet 
it  contrives  to  skulk  through  the  grass  and  reeds  with  great  speed ; 
the  compressed  form  of  its  body,  like  that  of  the  Rail  genus,  being 
well  adapted  to  the  purpose.     It  swims  remarkably  well;   and, 
when  wounded,  will  dive  like  a  duck.     When  closely  pursued  in 
the  water,  it  generally  takes  to  the  shore,  rising  with  apparent 
reluctance,  like  a  wounded  duck,  and  fluttering  along  the  surface, 
with  its  feet  pattering  on  the  water.    It  is  known  in  Pennsylvama 
by  the  name  of  the  Mud-hen." 


NOTES. 


I  continue  Mr.  Couper's  valuable  notes,  made  at 
Lower  Canada :  — 

ABDEA  HEEODIAS.  —  The  adult  is  never  seen  in  this  latitude, 
in  the  fall,  the  young  pass  this  way  to  the  Atlantic  States.  They 
Kice  Lake,  in  Upper  Canada. 

BOTAUBUS  LBKTIGIHOSUS.— The  Bittern  breeds  here,  and 
be  common.  It  prefers  savannas  to  lakes ;  and,  as  plenty  of  food 
the  latter,  probably  this  species  may  visit  higher  latitudes. 

STCTIAEDEA  QABDESI.  —  Common.  Breeds  on  the  island 
ea»t  of  Quebec,  and  in  the  woods  acyoining  the  St.  Lawrence. 


Quebec, 


However, 
breed  near 

appears  to 
is  found  on 

of  Orleans, 
This  bird 


r 


mMmmiim 


^¥awi-w)*w%^  w^™""-" 


478 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


•tiits  iU  own  convenience  in  building  in  this  neighborhood;  for  the  majority 
of  neata  on  the  latter  island  are  the  architecture  of  our  Common  Crow. 

CHABADBIUS  VIBOINICUS.  —  Common  during  the  fall.  Breeds  further 
north.  This  species  came  on  board  a  steamship,  on  the  Atlantic,  six  hun- 
dred miles  out  from  Europe. 

XQIALITIS  SEMIPALHATUS.  —  Uncommon.  Occurs  in  the  spring,  on  its 
way  north  to  breed. 

SQUATASOLA  HELVETICA.  —  Uncommon.    Occurs  in  spring  only. 

STREPSIIiAS  IHTEBPBES.  —  Uncommon.    Only  in  f^pring. 

PHALABOFUS  HTPEBBOBEUS.  —  Occasional.    Common  in  Labrador. 

PHILOHEIiA  HINOB.  —  Not  common.    A  few  breed. 

OALLINAOO  WILSOHII.  —  Abundant  in  the  spring  and  ikll.  None  breed 
in  this  district :  they  go  further  north.- 

MACBOBHAMFHITB  OBISEDS.  —  Occasional.    None  breed. 

TBINOA  CAHIITDS.  —  Occasional.    None  breed. 

T.  MABITIHA.  — Accidental  at  Quebec. 

T.  U ACUIiATA.  —  Common.    None  breed. 

T.  WILSOHIL  —  Occurs  in  spring.    None  breed. 

OALIDBIS  ABENABIA.  —  Occurs  in  spring.    Goes  &r  north  to  breed. 

EBEDHETES  PETBIFICATDS.  —  Occurs  in  spring  only.    None  breed. 

OAMBETTA  XELAKOLEITCA.  —  Occurs  in  immature  plumage  in  the  faU. 

OAMBETTA  FLAVIPES.  —  Occurs  in  the  &11. 

BHTACOPHILirS  BOLITABIUS.  —  Uncommon.  Only  noticed  in  the  spring, 
when  on  their  way  north  to  breed. 

TBINOOIDES  MAGUIiABIDS.  —  Common.    Breeds. 

AOTITUBUS  BABTBAUnrS.  —  Bare.    Occun  in  the  spring. 

UUOSA  HUDSOHICA.  —  Occurs  in  g^^ng  and  fall. 

HUMESnTS  HUSSOSICnS.  —  Ocean  in  the  falL 

H.  BOBEAIiIS.  —  Visits  Quebec  in  the  M. 

BAUiUS  VIBOIHIAHHS.  — Unoommon. 

FOBZANA  CABOLnrA.— Unoomnum. 

P.  HOVEBOBACEHSIS.  —  Thia  littie  RaU  is  found  here  in  the  fall,  at 
which  season  it  is  found  in  Snipe-grounds.  There  is  no  doubt  that  it  breeds 
ftirther  north  than  Quebec. 

rULIOA  AMEBIOANA.  — Uncommon. 


^WJ 


r  the  m^ority 
on  Crow. 

Breeds  further 
lantic,  aix  hun- 

e  spring,  on  its 

ng  only, 

Labrador. 

.    Noue  breed 


• 


h  to  breed, 
one  breed, 
kge  in  the  fall. 

)d  in  the  apring, 


in  the  fall,  at 
bt  that  it  breeds 


J 


^,  *^ 


NATATOBES. 


479 


ORDER  VI.  — NATATORBS.     Swimmeus. 

Toes  connected  by  membrane  to  the  claws ;  the  feet  fitted  for 
swimming ;  lower  part  of  the  tibia  iisuaily  feathered  to  near  the 
joint,  which  is  bare  ;  hind  toe,  however,  usually  elevated,  and  rather 
small,  except  in  Pelecanida  ;  fitted  for  an  aquatic  life,  swimmmg 
and  diving  freely ;  rump  with  well-developed  oil  glands. 

The  order  Natatores,  as  characterized  above,  embraces  a  large 
number  of  species  of  very  varied  forms,  all  more  or  less  aquatic  in 
their  habits.  A  character  common  to  all  consists  in  the  presence 
of  a  membrane  between  the  toes,  usually  extending  to  the  claws. 
This  membrane,  when  found  in  the  GraUatores,  is  confined  more 
or  less  to  the  basal  joint,  unless  Pkcenicopterus  be  an  exception. 
This  genus  has  been  variously  placed  in  both  orders,  and  it  is  still 
a  question  where  it  really  belongs.  The  internal  anatomy  resem- 
bles  that  of  the  Naiaiores,  as  well  as  the  lamellated  bill  and  fully 
webbed  toes  ;  the  external  form  however,  as  well  as  habits,  bring 
it  nearer  the  Grallatoret. 

The  order  Natatores  of  most  authors  has  been  divided  by  Bona- 
parte into  two,  — the  Gavia  and  the  Anseres:  the  former  em- 
bracing species  which  rear  their  young  in  nests,  and  belong  to  the 
Bub-class  AUrices;  while  the  latter  are  Pracocer,  the  young  pro- 
curing food  for  themselves  almost  from  birth. 

Gavije.  — Bill  without  lamellae,  and  more  or  less  entire;  feet 
with  the  toes  all  connected  by  one  continuous  membrane ;  or  the 
hind  toe  free,  with  the  anterior  continuously  webbed. 

Anseres.  —  Bill  with  transverse  lamellse  along  the  edges ;  hind 
toe  free. 


480 


OENITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


SUB-ORDER  ANSERES. 


Family  ANATIDiE. 

The  two  iaw«  with  transverse  lamella!,  alternating  and  fitting  in  each  other! 
upper  mandible  ending  in  an  obtuse  rounded  nail;  a  groove  running  along  both 
laws  to  the  nail;  the  feathers  of  the  forehead  extend  forward  on  the  culmen  m  a 
rounded  or  acute  outline;  those  on  the  side  of  lower  jaw  and  on  the  chm  extend 
Ibrward  in  a  similar  manner;  commissure  Btraight;  legs  short. 

Sub-Family  CTGNiNiE.  —  The  Swans. 
CYGNUS,  LiKN^us. 

Cv<7nw,LiNS-«U8,Sy8t.  Nat.  (1885).    (Type -4na.  ofor,  Gm.)  Gray. 

Neck  very  long;  bill  longer  than  the  head  (commissure  longer  than  the  tarsus), 
the  basal  portion  covered  by  a  soft  skin  extending  to  the  anterior  half  of  the 
eye-  the  plane  of  the  upper  outline  from  eye  to  eye  horizontal;  the  lateral  outline 
extending  nearly  straight  to  the  commissure,  or  even  sometimes  widening  slightly; 
not  half  the  width  of  the  bill  at  tip;  nostrils  situated  in  the  middle  portion  of 
the  bill;  lower  portion  of  tibia  bare;  the  tarsus  mrch  shorter  than  the  foot,  much 
compressed,  covered  with  hexagonal  scales,  which  become  smaller  on  the  sides  and 
behind;  hind  toe  small,  much  elevated;  the  lobe  narrow;  tail  of  twenty  or  more 
feathers,  rounded  or  wedge-shaped;  sexes  similarly  colored. 


CYGNUS  AMEBICANUS, —Sfta»yfcM. 
The  American  Swan. 


Aud.  Om. 


Cygntu  AmericanuB,  Sharpies*.   Doughty's  Cab.  N.  H.,  I.  (1880)  185. 
Biog.,  V.  (1839)  133.    lb.,  Birds  Am.,  VI.  (1848)  228. 
Cygtm  fervs,  Nuttall.    Man.,  U.  (1834)  868. 

Description. 

Bill  as  long  as  the  head,  broad,  high  at  the  base;  the  feathers  ending  on  the  fore- 
head in  a  semicircular  outline;  nostrils  far  forward,  the  anterior  extremity  consider- 
ably more  forward  than  half  the  commissure ;  tail  of  twenty  feathers. 

Adult  pure-white;  bill  and  legs  black;  the  former  with  an  orange  or  yellowish 
spot  in  front  of  the  eye;  less  mature  specimens  with  the  head  above  tinged  with 

reddish-brown;  iris  brown.  ,  ^    »_  -  «  „„. 

Length,  fif\v-flve  inches;  wing,  twenty-two;  tarsus,  four  and  twenty-five  one- 
Uundredths ;  bill,  above,  four  and  twenty  one-hundredths  inches. 

Uab.  —  Continent  of  North  America. 


llDIIMW 


T 


/ 


THE  AMERICAN   BWAN. 


481 


in  ench  other; 
ing  along  both 
le  culmen  in  a 
lie  chin  extend 


ay. 

han  the  tarsus), 

•ior  half  of  the 

0  lateral  outline 
dening  slightly ; 
liddle  portion  of 

1  the  foot,  much 
in  the  sides  and 

twenty  or  more 


)185.   Aud.Om. 


iding  on  the  fore- 

;tremity  considcr- 

jrs. 

,nge  or  yellowish 

,bove  tinged  with 

twenty-five  one- 


«.,_    r.  „  A  m»ri<-»n  Swan  is  equally  abumlant  on  both  sides  of  the  continent, 

«  ;e:a?tru:ht:trior;  th'e  yol,  ...  is  brown  instead  of  wh.e;  the 
Tdu"  imrif  ever,  is  without  the  yellow  or  orange  space  at  the  base  of  the  b.U, 
which  is  otherwise  black. 

THIS  beautiful  bird  is  so  extremely  rare  in  Now  England 
that  it  cannot  properly  be  considered  as  belonging  to 

our  fauna.  Witliin  a  few  years,  perhaps  three  or  four  speci- 
mens    have     been 

taken  in  the  waters 

of  Lake  Champlain ; 

and  I  believe  a  small 

flock  is  recorded  to 

have  been  seen  in 

Lake  Memphrema- 

gog.       These    are 

the  only  instances 

known  to  me  of  its 
occurrence  in  these 

States.  It  retires  to  the  most  northern  countnes  to  .pass 
th  season  of  reproduction.  It  nests  on  the  ground  on 
the  islands  and  plains  in  the  Hudson's  Bay  country  The 
nest  constructed  of  a  small  collection  of  weeds  and 
d  ed  grasses,  loosely  adjusted  by  the  female.  The  eggs 
ar"  froL  six  to  eight  or  ten  in  number.  They  are  broadly 
Toidrin  shape,'and  of  a  pale  olivaceous-green  in  colo. 
They  vary  in  dimensions  from  4.65  by  3  mches  to  3.98  by 
2.85  inch. 


Sub-Family  Anserine.—  The  Geese. 


ANSEB,  LIIW.BU8. 


Bill  a.  long  a.  the  head,  mosUy  red  ^^  ^-^^'^^^''iXli^^^^ 
mandible  project  below  the  edge  a.  ^^-^^X^  J-tV^p^Lf.  tip  of  hind 
middle  of  the  commissure,  the  anterior  edge  only  reaching  to  ims  p« 


middle 

toe  reaching  to  the  ground. 


81 


''  vn 


/ 


482 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


AHSEB  HTWM0BEU8.-Pa«a*. 
Th«  Sno»  Ooo»e. 

Q,>in    7nol     VL  (1767)  26.     Nutt  Man.,  11.  M4. 
Amer  hyperboreu*,  Pallas.     Splc  Zool.,  Vl.  ^''°'/ 
'""'        •";        ,„  Mua(i\R(W     76    Bird"  Am.,  VI.  (io48)  ^u. 

"^.ri^"-  O-!'.  i     Wi,..  A.. on..,  V... ...... :.. 

Dbscbiptiom. 

have  the  head  washed  w.th  rusty.  ^^^^  ,^  ^^^  ^„g, 

yo««,.-  Head  and  upp.r  |.art  -J  -^J;^^^'^ ;  »2«  ^hy  shade,  rest  of  under 

darV-brown.  passing  on  the  s.des  of  Doay  coverto,  white ;  the  entire 

paru,  concealed  portion,  of  *e  back   ™mp.^d  up^  c^.^^  ^..^^  ,,,i,h-brown 

««p„lar  and  -P"'-  ^Tof  he  wK  o7a  d^r  silvery-ash,  but  passing  into  dark- 
rwtLrrnrellT'Sfo  covers,  aecondaries,  Urti.s.  and  scapulars, 

edged  with  white;  '™  "KJ'*-^""™-  „  .     .^jeen  and  forty  one-hundredths;  tormu, 

This  is  another  rare  species  on  our  f^-Enf  «<?««;. 
coast    As  a  general  thing,  it  is  only  seen  dunng  the  wmter 
Twe  havejn  the  Massachusetts  State  Cabujet  a  fine  specn- 
\nt  wM  taken  in  Boston  Harbor,  in  July,  1863.    It  is 
TcUya  rtltrn  secies,  and  hardly  belongs  to  our  fauna. 
Dr  Richardson,  in  describing  its  breeding  habits,  says, 
«It  b;e;ds  in  the  barren  grounds  of  Arctic  America,  in 
'eat  "mbers.    The  eggs,  of  a  yellowish-white  color  a„d 
Clarly  ovate  form,  are  a  little  larger  than  those  of  the 
E?der  Duck;  their  length  being  laree  inches,  and  their 
g    Ist  bre:dth  two.    The  young  A/ -^^^S^^;;^^^^^^ 
fhe  middle  of  September,  all  have  departed  to  the  south 
Ird     The  Lw  Goose  feeds  on  rushes,  insects    and  m 
Ilmn  ':  berries,  particularly  those  of  the  Empetrum 
nigrum." 

BERNICLA,  S-rePHBHB. 
^.Wo.  8XKPH..B.  Shaw..  Gen.  Zool..  XH.  (1824)  «•     (Type  Ana.  6e. 
"^'^•^  ,       ..  h«d  or  diorter ;  the  commissure  nearly  straight ;  the  teeA 


/ 


THE  CANADA  0008E. 


488 


The  American  gee.e,  with  black  bill  and  log.,  exh.b.t  very  great  var.at  on»  In 
Mze;  .0  much  .o,  indeed,  aa  to  rendur  it  very  difficult  to  d.8t.nKu.«l.  them  by  thi. 
character  alone:  the  variation  in  the  ihade  of  plumage  in  the  «ime  .pec.ea  is  like- 
wl«e  conaiderable. 


,  n.  844. 


wards  th« 
I  spurious 
ttorebird* 

the  wingt 
t  of  under 
the  entire 
Jish-brown 
5  into  dark- 
,  scapulars, 

hs;  Ursus, 
ths  inches* 

and  sea 
)  winter ; 
ine  speci- 
13.    It  is 
]iT  fauna. 
(its,  says, 
terica,  in 
color  and 
se  of  the 
ind  their 
;  and,  by 
he  south- 
B,  and  in 
Empetrum 


rpe  Atuu  ber- 

ight;  the  teetii 
js  black. 


BBE5ICLA  0AHADEH818.  —  Boit. 
The  Ovuula  Oooie. 


Wils.  Am.  Om.,  VUI. 


Ati,t$  CanadtnsU,  Linneus.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1766)  198. 

'""«"' Ca«<irf«n«i,  NutUll.    Man.,  II.  849.    Aud.  Om.  Blog.,  III.  (1885)  1( 
V.  607.     lb.,  Birds  Am.,  VI.  (1848)  178. 
Semicla  Canadeniu,  Bole.    Isis  (1826)  921. 

Debcmption. 

Tail  of  eighteen  feathers;  head,  neck,  bill,  and  feet,  deep-blacn;  a  large  trian- 
gular  patch  of  white  on  the  cheeks  behind  the  eye;  the  two  of  opposite  sides 
broadly  confluent  beneath,  but  not  extending  to  the  rami  of  lower  jaw;  a  few 
whitish  feathers  on  lower  wlil;  upper  parts  brown,  edged  with  paler;  under 
parts  light,  with  a  tinge  of  purple-gray,  sometimes  a  shade  of  smoky-brown;  the 
edges  of  the  feathers  paler;  the  color  of  the  body  of  the  feathers,  though  similar, 
becoming  deeper  on  the  sides,  Ubia,  axlllars,  and  Inside  of  wings;  the  gray  of  the 
bellv  passes  gradually  into  white  on  the  anal  region  and  under  coverts:  the  upper 
Uircoverte  are  pnw-white;  the  primary  quills  and  rump  are  very  dark  blackish- 
brown;  the  tail  feathmra  are  black;  iris  chestnut-brown. 

Length,  thlrty-flve  inchea;  wing,  eighteen;  tarsus,  three  and  ten  one-hundredths; 
commissure,  two  and  ten  one-hundredths  inches. 

This  well-known  bird  passes  through  or  over  New  Eng- 
land in  the  spring  and  autumn  migrations,  appearing  in  the 
former  about  the  first  week  in  AprU,  and  passing  in  flocks 
until  the  10th  of  that  month.    In  the  autumn,  it  returns  aa 
early  as  the  last  wieek  in  September;  and  from  then  until 
the  first  of  December,  and  even  later,  it  passes  in  flocks  in 
its  southern  migrations.    The  Wild  Goose,  as  the  rule, 
breeds  in  the  most  northern  portions  of  the  continent :  it 
sometimes  passes  the  season  of  incubation  in  the  limits  of 
the  United  States;  but  the  occurrences  are  very  few  of  its 
having  been  found  to  remain  in  New  England.    I  under- 
stand that  it  has  bred  on  Martha's  Vineyard,  south  of 
Massachusetts,  several  times ;  and  I  have  been  told  of  other 
instances,  but  do  not  consider  them  to  be  well  authenti- 
cated.   The  nest  is  located  in  some  retired  place  not  far 
from  the  water,  generally  among  the  thickest  grass,  and  not 


liaiiiiiiliiiiiiiiiiiliiliWiifliMi*'' 


iU 


OBNITHOLOGT   AND  OOLOOY. 


unfroquontly  under  a  bush.  It  is  carelessly  formed  of  dry 
plants  of  various  kinds,  and  is  of  a  large  size,  flat,  and 
raised  to  the  height  of  several  inches.     The  eggs  are  usually 


-**.^'«^S*^ 


about  six  in  number:  they  average  three  and  a  half  inches 
by  two  and  a  half,  are  thick-shelled,  rather  smooth,  and  of 
a  very  dull  yellowish-green  color.  Tlie  penod  of  meuba- 
tion  is  twenty-eight  days.    Wilson  says  of  this  bird:- 

»  Their  first  arrival  on  the  coast  of  New  Jersey  is  early  in  Octo- 
ber;   and  their  first  numerous  appearance  is  the  sure  prognosUc 
of  severe  weath.r.     Those  which  continue  •» "  ^^-/'-X"*  *^ 
shallow  bays  and  marsh  islands :  their  principal  food  bemg  he  broad 
tender,  green  leaves  of  a  marine  plant  which  grows  on  stones  .md 
shells,  afd  is  usually  called  sea-cabbage  ;  and  also  the  rooU  of  U.e 
sedge  which  they  are  frequently  observed  in  the  act  of  teanng  up. 
Ever;  few  days,  they  make  an  excursion  to  the  inlets  on  the  beach 
for  iavel.    They  cross,  indiscriminately,  over  land  or  water,  gen- 
lurking  the  nearest  course  to  their  object;  d.ffenng,  m  th« 
resplct.  from  the  Brant,  which  will  often  go,  a  great  way  round  by 
water,  rather  than  cross  over  the  land.'    They  swim  well ;  and,  rf 
wing-Lroken.  dive,  and  go  a  long  way  under  water,  causing  the 


/ 


-««WMWMHM 


THE   BRANT. 


485 


[  of  dry 

lat,  and 

usually 


I 


ilf  inches 
;h,  and  of 
)f  incuba- 
bird :  — 

rly  in  Octo- 
prognoBtic 
requeiit  the 
g  the  broad, 
stones  and 
roots  of  the 
'  tearing  up. 
)n  the  beach 
•  water,  gen- 
ring,  in  this 
ay  round  by 
veil ;  and,  if 
causing  the 


gportaman  a  great  deal  of  fatigue  before  he  can  kill  them.  Except 
in  very  calm  weather,  they  rarely  sleep  on  the  water,  but  roost  all 
night  in  the  marshes.  When  the  shallow  bays  are  frozen,  they 
seek  the  mouths  of  inlets  xwwx  the  sea,  occuBionally  visiting  the 
air-lioles  In  the  ice ;  but  these  bays  are  seldom  so  completely  frozen 
OS  to  prevent  them  from  feeding  on  the  bars. 

"  The  flight  of  the  Wild  Geese  is  heavy  and  lalwrious,  generally 
in  a  straight  line,  or  in  two  lines,  approximating  to  a  point  thus,  >  : 
in  both  cases,  the  van  is  led  by  an  old  gander,  who,  every  now  and 
then,  pipes  hi?  well-known  Ao/ii,  as  if  to  ask  how  they  come  on ; 
and  the  honk  of  *  All's  well '  is  generally  returned  by  some  of  the 
party.  Their  course  is  in  a  straight  line,  with  the  exception  of 
tiie  undulations  of  their  flight.  When  bewildered  in  foggy  weather, 
they  appear  sometimes  to  be  in  great  distress,  flying  about  in  an 
irregular  manner,  and  for  a  considerable  time  over  the  same  quar- 
ter, making  a  great  clamor.  On  these  occasions,  should  they 
approach  the  earth,  and  alight,  —  which  they  sometimes  do,  to  rest 
and  recollect  themselves,  —  the  only  hospitality  they  meet  with  is 
death  and  destruction  from  a  whole  neighborhood  already  in  arms 
for  their  ruin." 

BESNICIiA  BREHTA.  — 5«/)A«w- 
The  Brant. 
Aim  JwTifcfa,  LinnsM.     8y«t  Nat,  I.  (1766)  198.     Wil».  Am.  Om.,  VIII. 
(1814)  181. 

AnuT  bernicla,  Nuttell.  Man.,  II.  859.  Aud.  Orn.  Biog.,  V.  (1881)  24,  610. 
76.,  Birdd  Am.,  VI.  (1848)  208. 

Bernicla  brenta,  Stephens.    Shaw's  Zool.,  XII.  (1824)  46. 

Description. 

Bill  and  feet,  head,  neck,  and  body  anterior  to  the  wingg;  primary  quilli,  and 
tail,  black;  the  secondary  quills  nearly  black;  on  each  side  of  the  middle  of  the 
neck  is  a  small  white  crescent,  streaked  with  black;  the  lower  eyelids  with  a  very 
faint  trace  of  white  feathers;  the  black  of  the  jngulum  is  abruptly  defined  against 
the  bluish  silvery-gray  of  the  remaining  under  parts,  the  feathers  of  which  have  the 
basal  portions  bluish-gray;  the  axilhirs  and  insides  of  the  wings  showing  a  darker 
tint  of  the  same;  the  gray  of  the  belly  passes  gradually  into  white  behind,  the  tail 
being  encircled  all  round  and  concealed  by  this  color;  the  back  and  wing  coverti 
are  grayish-blue,  with  slightly  paler  edges;  the  rump  is  of  a  similar,  but  darker  and 
more  uniform  blue;  the  secondaries  have  some  concealed  whitish  on  the  inner  webs 
towards  the  base;  iris  dark-hazel. 

I.ength,  twenty-three  and  fifty  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  twelve  and  seventy- 
five  one-hnndredths;  tarsus,  two  and  twenty-eix  one  hundredths;  commissure,  one 
and  forty  one-hundredths  inches. 


mnimiiiiihi'iiiiifi 


mm 


\ 


48U 


OUNITHOLOUY    AND   OOLOllY. 


1 


Tho  Braut  is  found  on  onv  coast  protty  abundantly  at 
the  same  Hoasons  as  tho  Canada  a<,0Be,  which  it  rcHcm- 
bles  very  much  in  its  general  habits. 

Having    had    hut   few   opportunities  of   ohsorvu.g   th.s 
Bpocies  in  its  wild  state,  I  give  tho  description,  by  W.  son  o 
itB  general  habits:  "The  Braut  is  expected  at  Lgg  Harbor, 
ou  the  coast  of  New  Jersey,  about  the  fi-t  o    October, 
and  has  been  sometimes  seen  as  early  as  the    0th  of  Se,. 
tomber.     Tho  first  flocks  generally  remaui  m  the  bay  a  lew 
days,  and  then  pass  on  to  tho  South.     On  rccommencu.g 
their  journey,  they  collect  hi  one  large  body,  and,  makmg 
an  ex  cnsive'^irai  course,  some  miles  in  diameter,  nse  to  a 
.roat  height  in  tho  air,  and  then  steer  lor  the  sea,  over 
which  they  uniformly  travel,  often  making  wide  circuuts    o 
avoid  passing  over  a  projecting  point  of  land.     In  these 
aerial  rotites,  they  have  been  met  with,  many  leagues  from 
Bhore,  travelling  the  whole  night.     Their  lino  of  march  very 
Ich  resembles  that  of  the  Canada  Goose,  -th  this  excep- 
tion  that  frequently  three  or  four  are  crowded  together  in 
tliTfront  as  if  striving  for  precedency.     Flocks  continue  to 
arrive  from  the  North ;  and  many  romam  in  the  bay  till 
December,  or  until  the  weather  becomes  -^^J^'^'iy^^ 
those  also  move  off  southwardly.    During  their  stay,  they 
feed  on  the  bars  at  low  water,  seldom  ornever  in  t^ie 
marshes;  their  principal  food  being  a  remarkably  long  and 
•    Lad-leaved  marine  plant,  of  a  bright^green  color,  which 
adheres  to  stones,  and  is  called  by  the  country  people,  sea- 
cabbage:   the  leaves  of  this  are  sometimes  eight  or  ten 
inches  broad,  by  two  or  three  feet  in  length     They  also     t 
Bmall  shell-fish.    They  never  dive,  but  wade  about,  feeding 
at  low  water.    During  the  time  of  high  water,  they  float  m 
the  bay  in  long  lines,  particularly  in  calm  weather     The  r 
voice  is  hoarse  and  honking,  and,  when  some  hundreds  are 
screaming  together,  reminds  one  of  a  pack  of  hounds  m 
full  cry     They  often  quarrel  among  themselves,  and  with 
the  Ducks,  driving  the  latter  off  their   foeding-gromid. 


liiiiiriiiiiiriniiir  '"• 


\ 


TUB  MALLABO. 


487 


lantly  at 
it  rcHcm- 

ving  this 
Vilm)n,of 
5  Harbor, 

October, 
;li  of  Se|>- 
bay  a  few 
iniuoucing 
d,  making 
r,  riBO  to  a 

Bca,  over 
circuits  to 

In  these 
,guc8  from 
march  very 
tliis  oxce{)- 
;ogcther  in 
continue  to 
ho  bay  till 
ivere,  when 
r  stay,  they 
sver  in   the 
ly  long  and 
olor,  which 
people,  sea- 
light  or  ten 
hey  also  eat 
lOut,  feeding 
they  float  in 
ther.    Their 
lundreds  are 
f  hounds  in 
68,  and  with 
ding-ground. 


Though  it  never  dives  in  search  of  food,  yot,  when  wing- 
broken,  the  Brant  will  go  one  hundred  yards  at  a  stretch 
under  water,  and  is  considered,  in  such  clrcumstancos,  one 
of  the  most  difficult  birds  to  kill.  About  the  loth  or  20th 
of  May,  they  ro-apinsar  on  their  way  north,  but  seldom  stof) 
long,  unless  driven  in  by  tonii)estuou8  weatlior." 

This  bird  nests  in  the  most  northern  portions  of  the  con- 
tinent. The  nest  is  similar  to  that  of  the  Canada  Goose. 
Tlie  eggs  are  from  five  to  eight  in  number :  they  are  ovate 
in  form,  sometimes  nearly  oval ;  and  of  a  yollowish-white 
color,  sometimes  darkened  into  a  creamy-buff.  Their  di- 
mensions vary  from  2.90  by  1.92  to  2.78  by  1.84  inch. 
They  are  very  smooth  to  Uio  touch,  and  the  shell  is  thin 
and  brittle. 


Sub-Family  Asktism.  —  The  River  Duck. 

The  AnaHna,,  or  River  Uuck.,  are  ea.lly  known  by  their  having  the  tani  trani- 
veniely  .cutell.te  anteriorly,  and  tho  membrane  or  lobe  of  the  hind  toe  narrow  and 
much  re.tricted.    The  legs  are  longer  than  in  Fuligulinm,  but  shorter  than  in  the 

''**A11  the  North-American  River  Ducks  agree  in  having  the  crissum  black.  In  aU, 
excepting  Querquedula,  there  is  a  tendency  to  waved  lines  on  the  feathers  of  the 
flanks,  most  conspicuous  in  the  Mallard,  GadwaU,  and  Qreen-w.nged  Teal. 

ANAS,  Lwnjroa. 

Ana,,  LwKJnJB,  Syst.  Nat.  (1786).  (Type  Anas  6o«»m,  L,  Gray.) 
Bill  longer  than  the  head  or  the  foot,  broad,  depressed;  the  edges  parallel  to  near 
the  end,  which  is  «)mewhat  acute;  nail  less  th«n  one-third  the  width  of  the  bill; 
nostrils  reaching  to  end  of  the  b««l  two-fifths  of  the  commissure;  feather,  of  fore- 
head, chin,  and  cheeks,  reaching  about  the  same  point;  upper  angle  of  bUl  about  in 
line  with  the  lower;  tail  pointed,  about  two-fifths  the  wing. 

AHAS  BOSOBAS.— J^tmwMW. 

The  Mallard;  Oretn-head. 

Ana*  bo,cha*,  Linn-us.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1766)  205.    Wlls.  Am.  Orn.,  VIIL 
;i8M)  na.    Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  III.  (1886)  164.    Jh.,  Bird.  Am.,  VI.  (1848)  888. 


488 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


Dbscmptiom. 

duller,  a  white  ring  round  the  n..dd  e  o    ^^-^^^^^^^^^..^  ^^er  parU 
forepart  and  sides  of  the  b'*"*  tf;^-;"'  '^^^^^.y  „„d„,ated  with  dusky,  the 
and  side.,  with  *h« -^i^^P'Jj^^'-'^orpTrt  of  back  reddish-brown,  posterior 
outer  scapulars  with  a  brown'*;  ^"^^.;  '^^^  ^lack,  the  latter  with  a  blue  gloss, 
mo.«  olivaceous,  cnssum  and  upper  ^'^  „"     the  greater  coverts  Upped  first 
tail  externally  white,  wing  =°^«^,j"T"'SS^;^  uL  purplish-violet,  terml- 
with  white,  and  then  more  »-->y^-*  ^^'^J  thrrump,iriV  dark-brown, 
nated  with  black,  a  recurved  tuft  of  '«''';«"  °^       ^^^  ^^„     h.  plain  whitish- 
Femok-With  the  wmg  ''^^'^^^'^2y-^^>^  «nd  neck  similar,  spotted 
ochrey,  each  feather  obscui^y  ''^f  f^f ^"Se  unspotted,  upper  parts  d.rk- 

circumference.  .  eleven:  tawus,  one  and  seventy  one- 

T     ^K  nf  rnnlp  twentv-threemches,  wmg,  eleven,  miDUj.,  V 

Length  of  male,  twen^  one-hundredths  inches, 

hundredths;  commissure  of  bill,  two  ana  miy  uuc 

The  Mallard  is  found  in  New  England  only  as  a  wan- 
derer and  then  only  in  the  western  sections  in  the  spring 
Sltn^.asons;arewareseeninthewa..^ 

casionally   a    small 
flock  is  fonnd  in  the 
Connecticut   River. 
This  is  the  original 
of  the  Common  Do- 
mestic. Mallard  ;  and 
its  habits  are  so  well 
known   that  I  will 
give  no  description 
here. 
This  bird  breeds  in  all  sections  of  the  United  States, 
more  abundantly,  of  course,  in  the  northern  than  xn  t^ 
southern;   and  less  often  in  the  eastern  than  m  the   nte- 
r^r  and  western.     In  most  of  the  Western  States,  it  is 
one  of  the  most  abundant  of  water-fowls ;  and  xt  breeds  m 
aU  the  meadows  and  by  the  ponds  and  streams  ttiroughout 
Ise  sections.    The  nest  is  buUt  in  a  tussock  of  high  gras. 
or  in  a  thick  clump  of  weeds.    It  is  composed  of  pieces  of 
g^ass  and  weeds,  a^d  is  lined  to  the  depth  of  half  an  inch 


i^l 


THE  DUSKY  DUCK. 


489 


hetopofthohwid 
rhich  and  on  the 
tnut!  under  parts 

with  du«Wy;  the 
i-brown;  posterior 
with  a  blue  gloss; 
coverts  tipped  first 
plish-violet,  tenni- 
I  dark-brown, 
parts  plain  whitish- 
eck  similar,  spotted 

upper  parts  dark- 
m,  parallel  with  the 

ae  and  seventy  one- 
iches. 

aly  as  a  wan- 
I  in  the  spring 
craters  of  Lake 
iplain,  and  oo- 
nally   a    small 
is  found  in  the 
ecticut    Eiver. 
is  the  original 
le  Common  Do- 
ic  Mallard ;  and 
Eibits  are  so  well 
ra  that  I  will 
no  description 

United  States, 
jrn  than  in  the 
han  in  the  inte- 
Brn  States,  it  is 

and  it  breeds  in 
earns  throughout 
•ck  of  high  grass, 
osed  of  pieces  of 
.  of  half  an  inch 


with  down  and  other  soft  material.  The  eggs  are  from  ten 
to  fourteen  in  number:  they  are  usually  ovoidal  in  shape, 
and  vary  in  color  from  dirty  yellowish-white  to  an  obscure 
olivaceous-green.  Their  dimensions  vary  from  2.42  by  1.75 
(Albion,  Wis.)  to  2.26  by  1.68  (Nova  Scotia). 

ANAS  OBSCUBA.  —  Gmelin. 
The  Dusky  Dnok;  Black  Dvek. 
Ana,ob,cura,Gme\m.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1788)  641.    Wils.  Am.  Om.,  VIH.  (1814) 
141.    Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  IV.  (1888)  15.    76.,  Birds  Am.,  VI.  (1843)  244. 
Ammboichas)  obicura,  SuttaW.    Man.,  II.  (1884)  892. 

Descbiption. 

Bill  greenish;  feet  red;  body  generally  blackish-brown;  the  feather,  obscurely 
margined  with  reddish-brown;  those  anteriorly  with  a  cot.cealed  V-shaped  mark, 
more  or  less  visible  on  the  sides  of  the  breast;  head  and  neck  brown.sh-yellow, 
spotted  with  black;  the  top  of  head  and  nape  dark-brown,  with  a  green  gloss  on  the 
jdes  behind;  wings  dull-blackish,  with  a  dull-greenish  gloss;  speculum  violet  te.^ 
minated  with  black;  inner  tertials  hoary  gray  towards  tip;  axillars  and  ms.de  of 
wingwhite;  tail  of  eighteen  feathers;  iris  dark-brown. 

Female  similar,  but  rather  duller;  the  light  edges  to  the  under  feathers  more  con- 
spicuous; the  sides  of  head  without  the  greenish-gloss;  the  speculum  bluish,  with 

^""^^ngtix  of  male,  twenty-two  inches;  wing  nearly  twelve;  tarsus,  one  and  eighty 
one-hundredths;  commissure,  two  and  fifty-six  one-hundredths  inches 

Ja6.- Atlantic  region  of  North  America;  uot  yet  detected  on  the  Pacific,  nor 

"*  ThiHi  the  most  plainly  marked,  as  well  as  perhaps  the  largest,  of  our  river 
ducks,  and  excelled  by  none  in  the  excellence  of  its  flesh. 

This  species,  generally  but  improperly  known  as  the 
Black  Duck,  is  the  most  abundant  of  all  our  fresh-water 
ducks.  It  breeds  in  all  the  New-England  States,  but  is 
found  in  the  greatest  abundance  in  the  more  northern  por- 
tions of  them.  The  country  around  Lake  Umbagog,  Me., 
seems  to  be  a  favorite  breeding-ground  with  this  species ; 
almost  every  patch  of  meadow  having  one  or  more  of  its 

The  nest  is  built  about  the  last  week  in  April  or  the  first 
in  May.  It  is  placed  in  a  secluded  locality  in  a  tussock  of 
grass,  or  beneath  a  thicket  of  briers  or  weeds ;  usually  in  a 


I 

^5 


I 


T 


■— t^5«i*T**S'*^  " 


490 


OBNITHOLOOY  AND  OOLOGY. 


meadow,  near  a  pond  or  stream,  but  sometimes  in  a  swamp 
in  which  a  small  brook  is  the  only  water  for  miles  around. 
This  species  sometimes  follows  these  small  brooks  up  to 
their  sources ;  and  I  once  found  one  with  a  nest  on  a  low 
stump  that  overhung  a  small  sprmg  on  the  side  of  a  lull,  a 
mile  from  any  other  water.    The  nest  of  this  species  is  con- 
structed of  pieces  of  grass  and  weeds,  which  a,  a  neatly 
arranged  into  a  structure  eighteen  inches  in  dianeter  on 
the  outside,  and  three  or  four  in  depth.    This  is  hollowed 
for  perhaps  an  inch  and  a  half  or  two  inches,  a.  d  hned 
with  the  down  and  feathers  from  the  breast  of  the  parent- 
bird     The  eggs  are  from  seven  to  ten  in  number:  their 
form  is  usually  ovoidal;   and  their  color  varies  irom  an 
olivaceous-yellow  to  a  dirty  yellowish-white.    la  dozen  of 
these,  and  an  equal  number  of  the  eggs  of  the  Mai  ad 
are  placed  side  by  side,  it  is  almost  impossible  to  identify 
them,  so  closely  do  they  resemble  each  other.    The  eggs 
ofThe  present  species  vary  from  2.50  by  1.72  inch  (Lake 
Umbagog)  to  2.26  by  1.65  (Weston,  Mass.).    They  aver- 
age  about  2.34  by  1.74  (Nova  Scotia).    Early  in  Septem- 
ber,  the   Dusky   Duck   gathers   in   flocks   of  fifteen  or 
twenty.    It  is  now  so  difficult  of  approach,  that  the  experi- 
enced  gunner  seldom  attempts  to  secure  it  by  stalking  it. 
The  method  by  which  the  greater  number  are  killed  is  as 
follows:    The  sportsman,  knowing  the  localities  most  fre- 
quented by  these  flocks,  -  generally  meadows  in  which 
streams  of  water  or  small  ponds  are  abundant, --builds  a 
bower  near  the  water,  about  six  feet  square,  and  five  or  six 
high  of  the  limbs  of  pines  and  other  dense  foliaged  trees, 
in  wiiich  he  secretes  himself  at  daybreak,  armed  with  one  or 
two  heavy  double-barrelled  guns,  and  provided  with  three 
or  four  tame  ducks.    One  of  these  ducks  he  anchors  or 
moors  out  in  the  water,  half  a  gunshot  from  the  bower 
The  duck,  soon  becoming  lonesome,  begins  to  call,  when,  it 
there  are  any  wild  ducks  in  the  neighborhood,  they  answer 
the  call  in  an  almost  exactly  similar  note,  and  soon  fly  to 


DAFIHiA. 


491 


a  swamp 

around. 
ks  up  to 
)n  a  low 
[  a  hill,  a 
es  is  cou- 
le  neatly 
meter  on 

hollowed 
Ell  d  lined 
le  parent- 
»er:  their 
I  from  an 

dozen  of 
)  Mallard, 
to  identify 

The  eggs 
nch  (Lake 
rhey  aver- 
in  Septem- 

fifteen  or 
the  experi- 
stAlking  it. 
dlled  is  as 
s  most  fre- 
j  in  which 
— builds  a 
i  five  or  six 
iaged  trees, 

with  one  or 
I  with  three 

anchors  or 

the  bower, 
all,  when,  if 
they  answer 
d  soon  fly  to 


meet  the  caller.    The  sportsman,  watching  t^^/PP^^^^^^^ 
flock,  holds  one  of  the  other  tame  ducks  ready  to  throw, 
and,  as  soon  as  the  wild  ones  approach  near  enough  to  see 
the  others,  he  throws  towards  the  anchored  duck  the  one 
held  in  his  hand,  which  is  secured  from  flymg  off,  by  a 
strong  li-e  fastened  to  its  legs.    The  bird  moored  m  the 
wZr   seeing  her  mate  flying  towards  her,  immediately 
"odoubles  he?  cries,  when  the  Dusky  Ducks,  after  flynig  back 
and  forth,  alight  beside  her.    As  soon  as  they  alight  they 
;le:to  ether  in  a  flock  away  ft-om  the  decoy ;  and  it  .s 
then  that  the  sportsman  pours  m  his  first  shot    he  fires 
wh  n  the  birds^tre  rising  from  the  water    and  is  often 
Inabled  to  get  four  shots  at  the  flock  before  it  get.  out  of 
Ziot    The  excitement  attending  this  shootmg  is  better 
!;;reciated  when  known.    I  have  passed  many  days  m 
bowors  of  this  description,  and  have  had  my  B^are  ^nhe 
excitement.    It  is  only  early  in  the  mormng  and  late  m 
he  aft"  noon  that  these  birds  can  be  shot  in  this  manner ; 
Ind  Tthey  are  much  hunted,  they  will  hardly  approach  one 
of  these  bowers  without  great  caution.    This  duck  remanis 
with  us  through  nearly  the  whole  year,  and  moves  south- 
rid  only  in  very  severe  winters.    When  the  fresh  ponds 
are  not  frozen,  it  prefers  them  to  the  salt  water     but  m 
winter  it  is  most  abundant  in  our  bays  and  small  creek  , 
where  it  feeds  on  small  shell-fish  and  other  marine  animals, 
r  utumn  it  is  one  of  the  best  flavored  of  our  water- 
fowl, but  in  winter  is  not  so  good,  having  much  of  t.ie 
fishy  taste  of  the  sea-ducks. 

4  DAFILA,  Lkach. 

Dajila,  "LlUCH."  Stephens.  ShaW.  Geu.  Zool.,  XII.  (1824)  226.    (Type  An., 
"^iilong,n.m.w,  considerably  longer  *-;•>;  «;°:;rtS^.t::: 

equal  the  wings. 


492 


OBNITHOLOOY  AND  OOLOGY. 


DAFIIiA   ACUTA.— Jenytw. 
The  Pintail;  SprigtaU. 

^n«a«.«.Linn«u,.    Syst.  Nat..  I.  (1766)  203^   7"  vTmmlT' ^'''^^ 
And.  Orn.  Biog.,  III.  (1886)  214;  V.  815.    lb.,  Burd.  Am.,  VI.  (1843)  266. 
Dafila  acuta,  Bonoparte.    List  (1888). 
Ana,  (botdm)  acuta,  Nuttall.    Man.,  IL  (1884)  886. 

DESCRIFnON. 

Tail  of  sixteen  feathers;  bill  black  above  and  laterally  at  the  base;  the  sides 
.nd  b  neath  blue;  head  and  upper  part  of  neck  uniform  f  •'"J--' ^'"-f^ .^;it 
Len  and  purple  behind;  inferior  part  of  neck,  breast,  and  under  parts  wh.te ;  the 
^  te  of  neck  passes  up  to  the  nape,  separating  the  brown  and  -^elf  .s  d.v.d  d 
loiy  by  black,  which,  below,  passes  into  the  gray  of  the  back,  the  back  antenorly 
i  d  thi  Is  are  finely  Uned  transversely  with  black  and  white ;  the  -"^  are  P^a'n 
and  bluish-gray;  the  greater  covertewith  a  terminal  bar  of  purphsh-buff,  below 
which  Tsa^enish-pirple  speculum,  margined  behind  by  black,  and  tjpped  w.U. 
whUe;  ong^  tertiais  7triped  with  silvery  and  greenish-black,  scapulars  black 
ITged  wrsilvery,  crissum  and  elongated  taU  feathers  black;  the  former  edged 

"""Fem'altwithonlyatraceof  the  markings  of  thawing;  the  green  of  the  specn- 
lum  brownish,  with  a  few  green  spots,  the  feathers  of  the  back  are  brown,  w  th  a 
brTadU  or  V-shaped  brownish-yellow  bar  on  each  feather  anteriorly;  sometimes 
those  bars  appear  in  the  shape  of  broad  transverse  lines. 

Length,  thirty  inches,  wing.eleven,  tail,  eight  and  sixty  one-hundredths ,  tanms, 
one  and  seventy-five  one-hundredths,  commissure,  two  and  thurty-s«  one  hmi- 

dredths  inches. 

Ha6.  —  Whole  of  North  America,  and  Europe. 

This  beautiful  bird  is  pretty  common  on  our  shores;  and 
it  is  much  pursued,  both  for  the  beauty  of  its  plumage 
and  for  the  excellence  of  its  flesh.    It  breeds  in  the  most 
northern  portions  of  the  continent,  where,  Nuttall  says,  "  it 
lays  eight  or  nine  eggs  of  a  greenish-blue  color."    It  is  seen 
in  most  abundance  in  the  autumn  on  our  coast,  where  it 
appears  by  the  10th  of  September,  and  remains  until  the 
last  week  in  October.    Wilson  says  it  is  a  shy  and  cau- 
tious bird,  feeds  in  the  mud  flats,  and  shallow  fresh-water 
marshes;  but  rarely  resides  on  the  seacoast.     It  seldom 
dives,  is  very  noisy,  and  has  a  kind  of  chattering  note. 
When  wounded,  they  will  sometimes  dive,  and,  coming  up, 
conceal  themselves  under  the  bow  of  the  boat,  moving  round 
aa  it  moves ;  are  vigilant  in  giving  the  alarm  on  the  approach 


mtmm 


THE  GBEEN-WINQED  TEAL. 


498 


\m.  Om.,  Vm.  (1814). 
n.  (1843)  286. 


at  the  base;  the  sides 
irk-brown,  glossed  with 
under  parts  white ;  the 
mi,  and  itself  is  divided 
ack;  the  back  anteriorly 
lite;  the  wings  are  plain 
•  of  purplish-buff,  below 
jr  black,  and  tipped  with 
black;  scapulars  black, 
)lack;  the  former  edged 

the  green  of  the  specn- 
back  are  brown,  with  a 
jr  anteriorly;  sometimes 

jTone-hundredtlis;  tarsns, 
and  thirty-six  one  hnn- 


i  our  shores;  and 
y  of  its  plumage 
reeds  in  the  most 
I,  Nuttall  says,  "  it 
color."    It  is  seen 
lur  coast,  where  it 
remains  until  the 
is  a  shy  and  cau.- 
ihallow  fresh-water 
icoasi.     It  seldom 
)f  chattering  note, 
e,  and,  coming  up, 
boat,  moving  round 
,rm  on  the  approach 


of  the  gunner,  who  often  curses  the  watchfulness  of  the 
S  Jlif  Some  Ducks,  when  aroused,  disperse  m  different 
Sons;  but  the  Sprigtails,  when  alarmed,  cluster  con- 
Sy  together  as  they  mount,  and  thereby  afford  the  sports- 
fos.  nnnortunitv  of  raking  them  with  advantage.  They 
;:i:Sr3rS.-re  aLt  *=  mid«e  or  March.  o„ 
Lwa"  to  thoir  nativa  rogions,  tho  Nortl.,  where  U.oy  are 
most  numerous. 

NETTION,  Kaup. 

about  one-fifth  as  wide  as  the  bill. 

HETTIOH    CAROIiINENSlS.  —  Baird. 
The  Green-winged  Teal. 

,.       •     n      i:„     <5«t    Nat.   I.  (1788)  633.    Aud.  Birds  Am.,  VI. 
Anas  CardinenM,  GmeUn.    Syst.  «at.,  i.  ^k"  ; 

(1843)  281.  ^„^  onj.  Biog.,  III.  (1863) 

Ana*  crecca,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  Vlli.  C^"'-*)  i"* 

219;  V.  616.  c     •      „     Tf   Bor  Am    n.  (1881)  400.    Nutt.  Man.,  II. 

Anai  [boichas)  crecca,  Swainson.    F.  Bor.  Am.,  ii.  i"o  I 

(188*)  *00-  DE8CBIPTI0K. 

on  ih,  j.g.l«n.  .nd !..»  n«k,  .b.v.  d.rk-bre.n, '""''"  "J.'tf"'*'"^ 

Ji..  ,..«...  .n.b„,  *.,  ""-lX"S-t^2  "" 
fourteen  one-hundredths;  commissure,  one  and  sixty-eigni 
fiii«.— Whole  of  North  America;  accidental  in  Europe. 

This  beautiful  little  fowl  is  quite  abundant  in  the  spring 
and  autumn  migrations  in  New  England;  arriving  m  the 


¥"ii''iwijafe.^.-;i'yw^ 


lawuiiiii'urii'ii'r  if"'" 


^.  ,..i..i)iiiililiiiOTiiTiiiiiwnin> 


494 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOQT. 


former  about  the  10th  of  May,  and  iu  the  latter  about 
the  second  week  in  September,  and  remaining  until  the 
middle  of  October.  It  frequents  fresh-water  ponds  and 
streams  in  small  flocks,  where  it  feeds  on  various  wafer 
insects,  their  larv«,  the  seeds  of  aquatic  plants,  and  the 
tadpoles  of  the  different  frogs.  Its  flesh  is  well  flavored, 
and,  with  the  next  species,  is  one  of  the  most  popular  in  all 
our  markets.  I  have  often  seen  individuals  of  this  species 
associate  with  the  ducks  in  a  farmer's  yard  or  duck-pond, 
and  have  known  them  to  come  to  the  barn-yard  with  the 
tame  fowls,  and  eat  with  them  the  corn  thrown  out  for  their 
food.  In  the  water,  it  is  a  graceful  bird,  moving  about 
with  great  activity.  Its  flight  is  rapid ;  and  accompanied 
with  a  whistling  murmur  different  from  that  of  most  of  our 
other  ducks. 

This  bird  probably  breeds  in  the  secluded  lake  districts 
of  the  northern  portions  of  New  England,  as  it  is  found  in 
considerable  abundance  in  localities  in  Nova  Scotia  and 
Canada  in  the  same  latitude.  It  nests  early  in  June,  some- 
times by  the  20th  of  May. 

The  nest  is  placed  on  the  ground,  in  a  thick  patch  or 
tussock  of  grass,  usually  in  meadows  within  a  few  feet  of  a 
small  pond  or  stream.  It  is  constructed  of,  first,  a  thick 
layer  of  soft  pieces  of  grass  and  weeds,  on  which  is  placed  a 
thin  covering  of  the  down  and  feathers  from  the  breast  of 
the  bird.  The  eggs  are  from  five  to  eight  in  number:  they 
are  usually  ovoidal  in  form,  sometimes  nearly  oval,  and  vary 
in  dimensions  from  1.90  by  1.82  inch  (Nova  Scotia)  to  1.73 
by  1.22  inch.  Their  color  is  a  dirty-white,  with  a  slight 
greenish  tint. 

QUERQUEDULA,  Stephens. 

QuertpteAda,  Stkphems,  Shaw's  Gen.  Zool,  XII.  (1824).  (Type  Ana$  querqu*. 
duh,L.) 

Bill  narrow,  lengthened,  a  little  longer  than  the  foot,  widening  a  little  to  the 
end,  which  is  obtusely  rounded;  the  tail  occupying  about  one-third  the  width; 
the  lamella)  visible  in  the  lateral  profile;  the  upper  lateral  angle  at  the  base  of 
bill  extending  rather  furtjier  back  than  the  lower  edge. 


T 


i  w 


latter  about 
ig  until   the 

ponds  and 
ariouB  wafer 
nts,  and  the 
rell  flavored, 
jopular  in  all 
'  this  species 
r  duck-pond, 
ard  with  the 

out  for  their 
loving  about 
accompanied 
f  most  of  our 

lake  districts 
it  is  found  in 
a,  Scotia  and 
L  June,  some- 
lick  patch  or 
few  feet  of  a 
first,  a  thick 
ch  is  placed  a 
the  breast  of 
number:  they 
oval,  and  vary 
Icotia)  to  1.78 
with  a  slight 


tyft  Ana$  querqu*- 

ning  a  little  to  the 
le-third  the  width; 
igle  at  the  base  of 


THE  BLUB-WINGED  TEAL.  495 

ftUEEQUEDULA  mSCORB.  —  Stephent. 
The  Blue-winged  Teal. 
Ana,di,c,>r.,m\Bon.    Am.  On>.,  VIII.  (1814)  74.    Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  IV.  (1888) 

111.    74.,  BirdB  Am.,  VI.  (1843)  287.  vii  nM4M4fl 

Q„en^Wufarf«oor.,  Stephens.    Shaw's  Gen.  Zool ,  XII.   1824)  14(.. 
AmZ Boschas)  di^i,  Swainson.    F.  Bor.  Am.,  II.  (1881)  444.    Nutt.  Man..  II. 

(1»8*'  ''»^-  DESCKirrioK. 

J./«i«.-Head  and  neck  above  plumboous-gray ;  top  of  head  black;  a  ^f^ocr^^- 
cenf  in  front  of  the  eye;  under  parts  fVom  middle  of  t  a  -•;  P;^  ^'^^^^^^ 
each  feather  with  spots  of  black,  which  become  more  obsolete  behind ,  forepart  of 
b"k  wUh  tie  feath^  brown,  with  two  undulating  narrow  bands  of  V-f^JlH 
feathers  on  the  tlanks  banded  with  dark-brown  and  purplish-gray ,  back  behmd  and 
S  gr"enish-bn>wn,  crissum  black;  wing  coverts  and  some  of  the  outer  web.  of 
e  puaTblue;  oth^r  scapulars  velvet-black  or  green,  streaked  w.th  Pale  redd^h- 
buff;  speculum  glossy-green;  the  outer  greater  wing  coverts  -»...,  as  are  t^e  ^^- 
lars  thVmiddle  of  under  surface  of  the  wing,  and  a  patch  on  each  side  of  the  base 
of  the  tail;  bill  black;  feet  flesh-colored;  iris  dark-hazel. 

/We!- With  the  top  of  head  brown,  and.the  wing  coverts  blue  and  wh.te,^ 
in  the  male;  base  of  bill,  except  above,  chin,  and  upper  part  of  »>»; j^™**' ^'/J^ 
yellowish-white;  back  brown,  the  feathers  margined  w.th  paler,  under  parts  whit- 
ish, with  rounded  obscure  brown  spots ;  the  jugulum  darker. 

Length  of  male,  sixteen  inches;  wing,  seven  and  ten  one-hundred&s;  ta«us 
one  anftwenty  one-hundredths;  con^missure,  one  and  eighty-flve  one-hundredths 

'"'tfl-Eastem  Korth  America  to  Rocky  Mountains.    Not  yet  found  on  the 
Pacific  coast  nor  in  Europe. 

This  species  is  more  often  found  in  small  creeks  near  the 
seashore  than  the  Green-winged  Teal;   but  it  prefers  the 
small  fresh-water  ponds  and  streams  to  the  salt  water,  and 
is  most  abundant  in  mill-ponds,  where  the  water  varies  in 
depth  in  different  days ;  there  it  searches  in  the  litile  nooks 
aud  pools,  among  the  half-submerged  rocks  and  bushes,  for 
its  favorite  food  of  aquatic  insects  and  the  seeds  of  aquatic 
plants.    It  arrives  from  the  South  in  spring,  by  the  latter 
part  of  April,  sometimes  earlier,  and  remains  lingering  in 
its  favorite  haunts  until  the  first  week  in  May.    It  proceeds 
slowly  to  the  North,  where  it  breeds  ;  and  it  then  returns 
through  New  England,  by  the  middle  of  September,  to  the 
Southern  States,  where  it  passes  the  winter.    It  sometimes 
breeds  in  New  England.     George  A.  Boardman,  Esq.,  has 


496 


ORNITUOLOOY  AND  OOLOGY. 


It 


f  i: 


found  it  with  young  at  MiUtown,  Mo. ;  and  Giraud  ux  1 18 
"Birds  of  Long  Island,"  says  that  it  breeds  in  that  locahty. 
The  greater  number,  however,  pass  to  the  more  northern 
countries,  where  they  begin  to  lay  early  in  June.     The 
nests  are  similar  to  those  of  the  Green-wmged  Teal,  and 
are  placed  in  similar  localities.    The  epgs  are  from  six  to 
ten  in  number.    They  vary  in  form  from  ovate  to  ovoidal, 
and  are  sometimes  nearly  oval  in  shape :  they  are  of  a  dirty 
yellowish-white  color,  paler  than  that  of  the  eggs  of  the 
Green-winged  Teal.    They  vary  in  dimensions  from  1.J5 
by  1  35  inch  (Wisconsin)  to  1.74  by  1.30  mch  (Labrador). 
The  surface  of  both  these  eggs,  and  those  of  the  preceding 
species,  is  covered  with  stains  of  a  darker  tint  than  the 
primar;  color;  probably  caused  by  the  feet  of  the  bird,  or 
by  the  decaying  vegetation  which  forms  the  nests  of  both 
species. 

SPATULA,  BoiE. 
Bill  «°"='\'°"Se'^  ,^^^„^  j^the  upper  maiidibla 

::;To  :e;deH::t:;  raShi,  pfojectmg  ^.  ..^o.  ^.  ^o.. ..,.,  tan  acut. 

Ubs  than  half  the  wing. 

SPATULA  OLTPEATA.— 5oie. 
Th«  Shoveller;  Spoonbill. 

»■  a.,.*  Wilt  T  rn861200.   Wilg.  Am.  Orn.,  Vm.  (1814). 

Anas  clspeoto,  Llnnmus.    Syst.  Nat,  I.  (liee)  -su«- 
Aud.  Cm.  Biog,  IV.  (1888)  241.    lb.,  Birds  Am.,  VL  (1848)  298. 
SpaUdaclypwta,  Boie.    Isis  ' '  322),  664.  „„,,„,, 

Za,  (SpMea)  dsp^,  NuttaU.    Man.,  IL  (1884)  876. 

Dksckiptioh. 


«4 


.5a^gt;^i-v^^;->-^>^;.'^v-s'.fty;.£fiKB; 


f^Ntawmitfagf* 


THE  OADWALL. 


497 


Jiraud,  iu  his 
I  that  locality, 
aore  nortliorn 
1  June.     The 
ged  Teal,  and 
re  from  six  to 
ate  to  ovoidal, 
'  are  of  a  dirty 
le  eggs  of  the 
sns  from  1.95 
ih  (Labrador), 
the  preceding 
tint  than  the 
of  the  bird,  or 
)  nests  of  both 


to  the  end,  where  it  U 
rf  the  upper  mandible 
jweredge;  tail  acute, 


Lra.0m.,Vm.(18U). 
298. 


rith  greater  portion  of 
r  under  parts  dull  pur- 
the  latter  glossed  with 
concealed  portion,  and 
with  white;  others  vel- 
jreen,  edged  very  nar- 

rerts  and  scapulars  less 


distinct,  head  and  neck  browni.h-ycllow,  .potted  with  d«.ky,  the  belly  with  a 
decided  chestnut  tinge,  '''»  ^'^f'^'-JJ^'flft    „„e-hundredth.;   tarsus,  one  and 

..^SbtrhLrrbir::!^^^^^^^^^ 

The  Shoveller  is  a  rare  species  on  the- coast  of  New  Eng- 
land;  but  two  or  three  are  taken  in  a  season,  and  it  is 
rarely  that  one  is  found  here  in  the  mature  plumage.     It 
18  as  often  found  in  fresh-water  ponds  a.id  streams  as  in  the 
creeks  and  bays  near  the  shore.    It  breeds  in  the  most 
northern  portions  of  the  eastern  coast;  but,  according  to 
Mr    Audubon,  it  passes  the  season  of  incubation  "from 
Texas  westward  to  the  Columbia  River,  thence  to  the  fur 
countries."     Says   Nuttall,  "  Soon  after  March,  according 
to  Baillou,  they  disperse  through  the  fens  in  France    o 
breed,  and  select  the  sau     places  with  the  Summer  Teal , 
choosing  with  them  large  t.ats  of  rushes,  makmg  a  nest  of 
withered   grass  in   the   most   boggy   and    difficult   places 
of  access,  near  waters.    The  eggs  are  twelve  to  fourteen, 
of  a  very  pale  greenish-yellow:    the  female  sits  twenty- 
four  or  twenty-five  days."  .      J    i„  «„ 
The  Spoonbill  feeds,  like  the  other  fresh-water  ducks,  on 
various  aquatic  insects  and  tadpoles ;  but,  unlike  the  Teals 
eats  but  few  seeds  of  aquatic  plants.    A  specimen  that  1 
examined,  killed  in  Plymouth  County,  Mass.,  had  its  stom- 
ach  filled  with  small  pieces  of  some  aquatic  roots  and  one 
or  two  tadpoles :  there  were  also  fragments  of  small  crusta- 
ceans, but  so  small  that  it  was  impossible  to  identify  them. 

CHAULELASMUS,  Ghat. 

ChauUlamu*,  G.  B.  Qrat  (1888).    (Type  Ana.  tr'P""h^-l  ^^ 

Bill  as  lonK  as  the  head;  the  lower  edge  about  as  long  as  the  on»'^ofl,  ana 
IcnSr  tl  tSf  tTrsus,  the  lamelhe  distinctly  visible  below  the  edge  of  the  bUl. 

CHAULELASMUS  STREPMUS.  -  Groj. 

The  Qadwall;  Gray  Duck. 

Jnaa  Orepera,  Linnwis,  Wilson,  and  others. 

32 


498 


ORNITHOLOOT   AND  OOLOGY. 


■I 


DEiCRimow. 

MaU.-n^*A  »nd  neck  brownish-white,  e«ch  feather  i-potted  with  duAy;  th. 
top  of  head  tinged  with  reddi.hi  lower  part  of  neck,  with  forepart  of  brca»t  and 
back.  blackLh,  rith  concentric  narrow  bar.  of  white,  giving  a  .cui.d  appearance  o 
the  feather.;  Interwapular  region,  outermost  papular.,  and  »idc.  of  the  body,  fine  y 
waved  transversely  with  black  and  white;  middle  wing  coverta  che«tnut,  the 
greater  vclvet-black,  succeeded  by  a  pure-white  speculum,  bordered  externally  by 
hoary-gray,  succeeded  by  black-,  crissum  and  upper  Uil  covert,  black;  longest  ter- 
tlris  Imaiy  plumbcous-gray;  innermost  scapular,  with  .  reddish  Unge;  inside  of 
wing  and  axillar.  pure-white;  bill  black;  iri.  haiel. 

hmaU.  -  With  the  bill  dusky,  edged  with  reddi.h ;  wing  wmewhat  like  that  of 
the  male,  but  with  the  che.tiiut-rcd  more  re.tricted. 

Length,  twenty-two  inches;  wing,  ten  and  fifty  one-hundredth. ;  tamus,  one  and 
sixty-four  one-hundredth.;  commissure,  two  and  four  one-hundredth,  inchea. 

The  Gadwall  is  a  rare  autumnal  visitor  in  New  England, 
and  is  seldom  seen  in  the  spring  as  it  is  passing  to  its 
northern  breeding-places.    Audubon,  in  describing  its  habits, 

says, —  . 

"  This  species  dives  well  on  occasion,  especially  on  being 
wounded.  •    At  the  appearance  of  danger,  it  rises  on  wing 
—  whether  from  the  ground  or  from  the  water  — at  a  single 
spring,  in  the  manner  of  the  Mallard ;   and,  like  it  also, 
ascends  almost  perpendicularly  for    several   yards,   after 
which  it  moves  off  in  a  direct  course  with  great  celerity.    I 
have  never  seen  it  dive  on  the  flash  of  the  gun  ;  but,  when 
approached,  it  always  swims  to  the  opposite  part  of  the 
pond,  and,  when  the  danger  increases,  flies  off.     On  being 
wounded,  it  sometimes,  by  diving,  makes  its  escape  among 
the  grass,  where  it  squats,  and  remains  concealed.    It  walks 
with  ease,  and  prettily,  often  making  incursions  upon  the 
land,  when  the  ponds  are  not  surrounded  by  trees,  for 
the  purpose  of  searching  for  food.    It  nibbles  the  tender 
shoots  and  blades  of  grasses  with  apparent  pleasure ;  and 
will  feed  on  beech-nuts,  acorns,  and  seeds  of  all  kinds  of 
graminese,  as  well  as  on  tadpoles,  small  fishes,  and  leeches. 
After  rain,  it  alights  in  cornfields,  like  the  Mallard,  and 
picks  up  the  scattered  grains  of  maize." 

The  eggs  of  this  species  are  from  eight  to  twelve  in  num- 
ber.   Their  color  is  a  pale-drab,  with  a  slight  olivaceous  tint : 


li 


MH 


'£^'i^if^'&:-ii'7i-siVfi-«'l.'iS 


''ltiir!MfitTii^tiili:ii»iiWi"^itftf^"^ 


1 


1 


THE  AMERICAN  WIDOEON. 


499 


I  with  dusky;  the 
)art  of  breast  and 
tiod  appearance  to 
of  the  body,  finely 
erta  chcetnut,  the 
!red  externally  by 
l))ack;  longest  tcr- 
h  tinge ;  Inside  of 

lewhat  like  that  of 

hs;  tarsus,  one  and 
cdths  inches- 
New  England, 
passing  to  its 
bing  its  habits, 

sially  on  being 
rises  on  wing 
r  —  at  a  single 
i,  like  it  also, 
I   yards,  after 
mt  celerity.    I 
un ;  but,  when 
te  part  of  the 
off.     On  being 
escape  among 
ialed.    It  walks 
jions  upon  the 
I  by  trees,  for 
jles  the  tender 
,  pleasure ;  and 
of  all  kinds  of 
es,  and  leeches, 
e  Mallard,  and 

twelve  in  num- 
;  olivaceous  tint: 


their  form  is  a  long  ovoid;   and  their  dimensions  average 
about  2.15  inch  in  length  by  1.50  inch  in  breadth. 

MARECA,  Stephkhs. 

Mnrfca,  SfKPH.KS,  Shaw's  Gen.  Zool..  XII.  (1824)  180.    (Type  Ana*  P^ 

'^  Bill  Lrter  than  the  head,  and  equal  to  the  Inner  toe  claw,  the  .Ides  parallel  to 
near  the  end  which  is  rather  obtusely  pointed,  the  nail  occupying  the  fp,  and  about 
„"  t  id  as  bl  d  a,  the  bill;  bill  rather  high;  the  uoper  lateral  nn.le  at  the  bu»e 
nol  prominent,  nor  extending  as  far  buckNu.  the  lower  euge;  tad  po.n.ed,  not  half 

"'^The'^orth-American  and  European  ,pecies  of  Marec<,  have  the  uppor  part, 
finely  waved  tran.ver.ely  with  black  and  gray  or  reddi,h-brow„ ,  the  under  ,«,rts 
with  the  usual  exceptions,  snowy-white.  The  top  of  the  head  is  u„it..m.  wh.tc  or 
:ln  coEtlle  Ik  more  or'.ess  spotted;  U.a  middle  and  .-ater  co.er  s  are 
wWte  the  latter  tipped  with  black;  the  speculum  is  green,  encircled  b.v  bl«<l^ ,  the 
rertial,  are  black  on  the  outer  web.  edged  with  hoary-white,  the  entire  outer  web  of 
one  of  them  hoary. 

HARECA  AMEHICAHA.  — iS/rP*<^- 
The  American  Widgeon;  Baldpate. 
Ana,  An^ericar^a,  Gmelin.    Syst.  Nat,  I.  (1788)  526^    Wils.  Am.  Orn.,  VIU. 
(18;4)86.    Aud.  Om.  Diog.,  IV.  (1888)  837.    f  -  B^^!  ^20135 
Wec«:imenca««,  Stephens,    ^'-w;.  Gen  Zoo  .XII.  (1824)  135. 
Ana*  {Boicha*)  Americana,  NutUU.    Man.,  II.  (1834)  389. 

Description. 
MaU  -Tail  of  fourteen  feathers;  bill  blue,  the  extreme  base  and  tip  black, 

iusky    foTpart  of  breast  and  sides  of  body  light-brownish  or  chocolate-red,  each 

1  and  ;«  ter\re  conspicuously  white,  the  'atte^r '"f .  f ,'  f  C^^^^^^ 
hv  a  Lculum  which  is  grass-green  at  the  base,  and  then  velvet-black;  the  tert.als 
"^b  aT  n  t  J  outer  w'eb,  holered  narrowly  by  black,  the  outermost  one  hoa^^ 
gray!extermdly  edged  with  black,  the  tail  is  hoary-brown,  the  upper  co-..ts  are 
black  externallv,  the  axillars  are  white,  iris  hazel. 

the  Wackiiihin  appears  to  be  found  only  in  very  highly  plumag.d  birds.    The 
top  of  the  head  is  sometimes  pure-white.  u  ,.„„.»„.«  tn  the  bill- 

\he  female  has  the  head  and  neck  somewhat  similar,  ^u    «Po"«d  '»   ^e  ^d 
wings  as  in  the  male;  the  black  of  tertials  replaced  by  brown;  the  gray  oj  he  lesse^ 
coveru  extending  slighUy  over  the  middle  ones;  back  and  scapulars  with  rather 


1 


"^ 


§AA  ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLO(JT. 

terruptea  long  t '•  '  -"^    '1  e  «  .™  n^^^^  ,_^^,^^^,  ^,„^^  ^,^^.^„,  ,„. 

jri'^;:;^:^ huTdS..,  co..„i.ur..  «„«  ..a  CKhty  o,.e-UunareatU. 

*"''//!  -  ConUneut  of  North  Americ    Accidental  in  Europe. 

This  beautiful  bird  is  found  i»  small  flocks  of  four  or  five 
individuals  iu  the  spring  and  fall  n.igrations,  and  is  more 
often  found  in  the  fresh-water  ponds  and  streams  m  the 
interior  than  in  the  salt  water  on  the  coast. 

It  breeds  in  the  Hudson's  Bay  Country,  early  in  June. 
The  nest  is  placed  on  the  ground,  as  I  am  informed,  m  the 
,„arshes  and  sterile  plains  of  that  country,,  and  resemb  es 
very  much  the  nest  of  the  common  Black  or  Dusky  Diu^k. 
The  eggs  are  from  eight  to  twelve  in  number.  Ihey 
resemble  those  of  the  Blue-winged  Teal  in  form  and  color, 
being  a  dirty  yellowish-white.  They  average  in  dimonsiona 
about  2.05  by  1.50  inch.     .  -   ,     .     j 

The  food  of  this  bird  consists  principally  of  the  tender 
leaves  and  roots  of  aquatic  plants,  which  it  obtains  when  in 
company  with  the  Canvas-back,  by  stealing  from  that  bird ; 
the  latter  diving,  and  bringing  it  up  from  the  bottom  of  the 
water,  and  the  Widgeon  seizing  it  when  he  appears  at 
the  surface. 

AIX,  BoiB. 

the  feathers. 

AIX  SPOHSA.  —  Bote. 

The  Smnmer  Dnck;  ^oo*  ^^"^ 
^  Ti„n»,i.     SvBt,  Nat..  I.  (1768)207.    Wils.  Am.  Om.,  VIII.  (1814) 
97     Aud^Om.  Biog.,  HI.  (1885)  62;  V.  618.    lb.,  Birds  Am.,  VI.  (1848)  271. 
Aim  Bponsa,  Boie.    Isis  (1828),  829. 
Ami  (Bo$chai)  ^xma,  NnttaU      Man.,  II.  (1834)  894. 


/ 


TUB  SUMMER   DUCK. 


601 


two  or  thr««  In- 
mil  in  the  male. 
ng,  eleven  i  t«r- 
one-liuDtlredtlil 


four  or  five 
lid  is  more 
lams  ill  the 

:ly  in  Juno, 
mod, in  the 
d  rosemWeB 
)u8ky  Duck, 
iber.  Tiioy 
n  and  color, 
I  dimensions 

f  the  tender 
ling,  when  in 
m  tiiat  bird ; 
>ottom  of  the 
J  appears  at 


buck  much  behind 
iiveloped  by  mera- 
je;  nail  very  largo, 
preBsed,  broad,  and 
d  equal  to  the  tar- 
tail,  about  half  the 
nearly  as  long  a» 


,.  Om.,  VIII.  (1814) 
n.  (1848)  871. 


I)B8cnirrtoi». 
Head  and  cre.t  metallic-green  to  below  .he  eye.,  the  cb.ck,,  and  •"''[- J™™ 
behind  tl.e  eye,  purpli»b;  a  na  ruw  -hort  li>...  fmn,  ti.e  up,H.r  anKl.  of  tl.    bill  u   r^ 
S:rl  of  tL'^J..  and  tbrou^  .e  ^^^^'---^^^-^  ^Z 

u^towa  1  be\.y..,a.ul  another  towards  the  nup.., -nnwy-wh.te,  lnw«r  rn'ok  and 
11™  a  d  .  .U  of  the  ba«,  of  tail,  rich-purpl.,  the  Ju«ulu,n  with  triangular 
rr white  and  a  chestnut  .hade,  remaining  under  narU  wh.le.  a.  i»  a  cre.een 
rfrol  of  tl!e  wing  bordered  behind  by  black,  .ide,  yelluwiBh-grHy,  finely  lined 
with  black,  the  long  fea.h.r,  of  tl.e  llauka  hroadly  black  at  the  end,  w.th  a  ,«> 
with  oiacu,  I  ;     .  ,i     „f  ^,,ito,  back  and  n-ck  above  nearl/  uniform 

El^C-  .  "  "Via-  .nd  innermost  tertiaU  velvet  black,  globed  on 
Snl?wb.  with  violet,  the  latter  wiU.  a  white  bur  at  the  end,  K->- -J^ 
violet  .ucceeded  by  a  greeni.h  speculum,  tip,»,d  with  white,  prnnur>e.  ..Ive  y-white 
i^ally  oward,  the  end,  the  tips  internally  violet  and  purple,  m.  »«•-«"-'• 

Kenmfe  with  the  winga  quite  .hnilar,  the  ba,k  more  purpb-h,  the  ,ide.  of  the 
head  a"d  n^k  a  hy ,  thfreglun  round  the  bane  of  the  bill,  a  patch  through  the  eye. 
H'dthechin  -bitT,  the  purple  of  the  jugulum  replaced  bybrownuh,  the  waved 

'^C:;:lif::"i::h:;: wing,  nine  and  bay  one-hundredth.,  tar..,  one  and 
forty  o.thundredth.,  commi..ure,  one  and  flfty-four  one-hundredth,  mche.. 
//uA.  — Continent  of  North  America. 

This  the  most  beautiful  of  all  our  Ducks,  is  pretty  abun- 
dantly distributed  through  New  England  in  the  breeding 

season.      Wilson's   description   of  its  habits   is   so  much 

bettor  than  I  can  give,  that  I  make  a  liberal  extract  from 

it.    Ho  says, — 

«  The  Summer  Duck  is  equally  well  known  in  Mexico  and  many 

of    the    West    India  — 

Islands.     During  the 

whole  of  our  winters, 

they  are  occasionally 

seen    in    the    States 

south  of  the  Potomac. 

On  the  10th  of  Janua- 
ry, I  met  with  two  on 
i  creek  near  Peters- 
ourg,  in  Virginia.   In 

the  more  northern  dis-  .  . , 

trictB,  however,  they  are  migratory     In  Pennsylvania   the  f^a^ 
usually  begins  to  lay  late  in  April,  or  early  m  May.    Instances 


-  .liiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitMii*'- 


/ 


T 


302 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


'I 


:1 


have  been  known  where  the  nest  was  constructed  of  a  few  sticks 
laid  in  a  fork  of  the  branches:    usually,  however,  the  mside  of 
a  hollow  tree  is  selected  for  this  purpose.    On  the  18th  of  May, 
I  visited  a  tree  conUining  the  nest  of  a  Summer  Duck,  on  the 
banks   of   Tuckahoe   River,  New  Jersey.    It  was   an   old,  gro- 
tesque white  oak,  whose  top  had  been  torn  off  by  a  storm.      It 
stood  on  the  declivity  of  the  bank,  about  twenty  yards  from  the 
water     In  this  hollow  and  broken  top,  and  about  six  feet  down,  on 
the  soft,  decayed  wood,  lay  thirteen  eggs,  snugly  covered  with 
down,  doubtless  taken  from  the  breast  of  the  bird.     These  eggs 
were  of  an  exact  oval  shape,  less  than  those  of  a  Hen ;  the  surface 
exceedingly  fine-grained,  and  of  the  highest  polish,  and  siightly 
yellowish,  greatly  resembling  old,  polished  ivory.     The  egg  meas- 
ured two   inches   and  -an  eighth  by  one  inch  and  a  half.     On 
breaking  one  of  them,  the  young  bird  was  found  to  be  nearly 
hatched,  but  dead,  as  neither  of  the  parents  had  been  observed 
about  the  tree  during  the  three  or  four  days  preceding,  and  were 
conjectured  to  have  been  shot. 

"This  tree  had  been  occupied,  probably  by  the  same  pair,  for 
four  successive  years,  in  breeding-time:  the  person  who  gave  me 
the  information,  and  whose  house  was  within  twenty  or  thirty  yards 
of  the  tree,  said  that  he  )iad  seen  the  female,  the  spring  preceding, 
carry  down  thirteen  young,  one  by  one,  in  less  than  ten  minutes. 
She  caught  them  in  her  bill  by  the  wing  or  back  of  the  neck,  and 
landed  them  safely  at  the  foot  of  the  tree,  whence  she  atterwards 
led  them  to  the  water.     Under  this  same  tree,  at  the  time  I  visited 
it  a  large  sloop  lay  on  the  stocks,  nearly  finished :  the  deck  was  not 
more  than  twelve  feet  distant  from  the  nest;  yet,  notwithstanding 
the  presence  and  noise  of  the  workmen,  the  Ducks  would  not  aban- 
don their  old  breeding-place,  but  continued  to  pass  out  and  m,  as  it 
no  person  had  been  near.    The  male  usually  perched  on  an  adjoin- 
ing  H-nb,  and  kept  watch  while  the  female  was  laying,  and  also 
often  while  she  was  sitting.    A  tame  Goose  had  chosen  a  hollow 
space,  at  the  root  of  the  same  tree,  to  lay  and  hatch  her  young  m. 

"  The  Summer  Duck  seldom  flies  in  flocks  of  more  than  three  or 
four  individuals  together,  and  most  commonly  in  pairs  or  singly. 
The  common  note  of  the  Drake  is  peet,peet,'  but  when,  standmg 
sentinel,  he  sees  danger,  he  makes  a  noise  not  unlike  the  crowing 


li 


THE  SEA   DUCKS. 


508 


)f  a  few  sticks 
the  inside  of 
5  18th  of  May, 
Duck,  on  the 
I   an   old,  gro- 
'  a  storm.     It 
yards  from  the 
X  feet  down,  on 
J  covered  with 
I.     These  eggs 
en ;  the  surface 
ih,  and  slightly 
The  egg  meas- 
Qd  a  half.    On 
id  to  be  nearly 
been  observed 
eding,  and  were 

B  same  pair,  for 
n  who  gave  me 
y  or  thirty  yards 
pring  preceding, 
lan  ten  minutes, 
of  the  neck,  and 
•e  she  afterwards 
he  time  I  visited 
the  deck  was  not 
,  notwithstanding 
J  would  not  aban- 
i  out  and  in,  as  if 
hed  on  an  adjoin- 
laying,  and  also 
I  chosen  a  hollow 
ch  her  young  in. 
nore  than  three  or 
a  pairs  or  singly, 
ut  when,  standing 
mlike  the  crowing 


the  markets  of  Philadelphia." 

The  eggs  of  the  Summer  Duck  are  of  a  dirty  yellowish- 
white  color.    Their  form  varies  from  ovate  to  nearly  oval, 
:rtleir  dimensions  vary  from  2.20  by  1.55  (W.sconsxn  , 
tr  2  loTy  1.55  (Maine),  and  1.98  by  1.45  (Massachusetts). 
Tids  species  Is  easily  domesticated,  and  soon  becomes 
verv  tame     It  breeds  in  confinement,  and  soon  acquires  all 
rhtwts  of  the  domestic  Mallard,  but  prefers  a  hollow 
tree  or  stump  for  its  resting-place. 
To  Brewer,  edte  of  the  "Boston  Cutoalor,"  h=« 
at  U,  residence  in  West  Eoxbnry,  Mass.,  a  large  flock  of 
Lse  Mrds,  which  he  has  raised  himself;  and  th^^e  »^ 
tahdy  the  most  beantifnl  and  intercstmg  pets  that  I  have 
seen. 


S»i.fhm.7y  FoLloui.ni.1.  —  Thi  Sea  Duch. 

FOLIX,  Sdhdbvalu 

Fuli.,  8UK.BVAO.,  Kong.  Vet.  Ak.  Hand  (1835)     (As  restricted^)  ^^ 

Bill  longer  Oian  the  tarsus,  and  about  ''^'''''^'^'l'^;^^Jg^,t  slightly,  and 
without  the  nail,  feathers  of  cheeks  chm,  and  forehead  "^^a^c mg  g     ,^  ^^^ 

to  about  the  same  distance;  °-*"'«,T"'f"Se  edges  of  b^^^^  about  parallel, 
basal  two-flfths  of  the  bill,  not  reaching  the  "'"IJ^^'  7;;°;\  Recurved;  nail 
or  widening  to  the  tip,  Vro^^  f^f^  l^Z^'^X  ^^'^^^^^^^^0,.  of  its  tip, 
aot  one-third  the  width  of  the  bill,  and  f™« jf  ^J^J'^^  ^hV  feet,  tail  short, 
tarsus  about  half  the  middle  toe  and  claw,  bil  as  long  as  « 
rounded,  of  fourteen  feathers,  head  and  neck  black. 


jk^Lx-. 


r  i 


504 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


u 


TULIX  MARILA.— Batrd, 

The  Soaup  Dnek;  Big  Blaet  Head)  Blue  Bill. 

Atuu  marila,  Linnaeus.  Syst  Nat,  I.  (1766)  196.  Wiis.  Am.  Cm.,  VIH.  (1814) 
84. 

FtiliffiJa  marila,  Audubon.    Birds  Am.,  VIL  (1843)  866.     Gir.  Birds  L.  Island, 

(1844)  321. 

Descriftion. 

Head  and  neck  all  round,  jugulum  and  shoulders,  lower  part  of  back,  tail,  and 
coverts,  black ;  the  head  with  a  gloss  of  dark-green  on  the  sides ;  rest  of  under  parts 
white;  feathers  on  the  lower  parts  of  b»Jly  and  on  the  sides,  the  long  feathers  of  the 
flankB,.the  interscapulum,  and  the  scapulars,  white,  waved  in  lipzag  transversely 
with  black;  greater  and  middle  wing  coverts  similarly  marked,  but  more  finely  and 
obscurely;  greatei  coverts  towards  the  tip  and  the  tertials  greenish -black;  the 
speculum  is  white,  bordered  behind  by  greerish-black ;  the  white  extending  across 
the  whole  central  portion  of  the  secondaries;  outer  primaries  and  tips  of  all,  brown- 
ish-black; inner  ones  pale-gray;  the  central  line  dusky;  nxillars  and  middle  of  the 
inferior  surfkca  of  the  wing  white;  bUl  blue;  the  nail  black;  legs  plumbeous i  iris 
yellow. 

Female  with  the  head  brown;  the  region  all  round  the  base  of  the  bill  white;  the 
undulations  of  black  and  white  on  the  feathers  wanting,  or  but  faintly  indicated 

above. 

Length,  twenty  inches;  ^ng,  nine;  tarsus,  one  and  fifty-eight  one-hundredths 
inches;  commissure,  two  and  sixteen  one-hundredths  inches. 

J?aA.— Whole  of  North  America  and  Europe. 

This  species  is,  although  not  abundant,  generally  met 
with  on  our  coast  in  spring  and  fall.     It  seldom  penetrates 
far  inland,  but  prefers  the  bays  and  mouths  of  creeks  on  the 
shore,  where  it  has  all  the  habits  of  the  sea  Ducks.    I  have 
known  of  its  being  taken  in  small  numbers  on  Pr.nkapoag 
Pond,  Massachusetts,  where  it  associated  with  the  common 
Dusky  Duck.     Giraud,  in  his  "  Birds  of  Long  Island," 
speaks  of  it  as  being  very  abundant  on  our  coasts ;  arriving 
from  the  North  from  the  10th  to  the  20th  of  October  in 
large  flocks.    My  experience  has  been,  that  it  is  far  from 
being  an  abundant  species ;  and  that  it  is  more  often  seen 
in  flocks  of  not  more  than  eight  or  ten  birds  than  in  larger 
parties.    Its  habits,  however,  may  vary  in  different  localities ; 
and  it  may  be  abundant,  like  many  other  species,  in  some 
sections,  when  it  is  comparatively  scarce  in  others. 
It  passes  to  the  most  northern  countries  to  spend  the 


iMfliMTili1riBi1ii»iWtW'"1liinff-f"'''i '■"''■'■"■* 


THE  LITTLE  BLACK-HEAD. 


505 


Sill. 

Lm.  Om.,  Vin.  (1814) 

Qir.  Birds  L.  Island, 


part  of  back,  tail,  and 
leg;  rest  of  under  parts 
he  long  feathers  of  the 
in  zigzag  transversely 
d,  but  more  finely  and 
I  greenish  -  black ;  the 
rhite  extending  across 
and  tips  of  all,  bi-own- 
ars  and  middle  of  the 
;  legs  plumbeous;  iris 

e  of  the  bill  white ;  the 
ir  but  faintly  indicated 

^'-eight  one-hundredths 


t,  generally  met 
jldom  penetrates 
I  of  creeks  on  the 
].  Ducks.  I  have 
rs  on  Punkapoag 
(rith  the  common 
if  Long  Island," 

•  coasts ;  arriving 
;h  of  October  in 
lat  it  is  far  from 

more  often  seen 
ds  than  in  larger 
ifferent  localities ; 

•  species,  in  some 
in  others. 

ies  to  spend  the 


season  of  incubation  on  our  coast ;  but,  in  the  intenor,  it  is 
an  abundant  breeder, -in  the  lake  country,  m  Wisconsin, 
and  other  localities  in  similar  latitudes.  It  nests  on  the 
ground ;  forming,  as  I  am  told,  a  nest  of  ^ass  and  weeds  i„ 
I  marshy  swamp,  very  similar  to  the  nest  of  the  Mallard  that 
breeds  in  the  same  localities. 

The  eggs  are  from  six  to  ten  in  number:  they  are  of  an 
ovate  form,  sometimes  nearly  oval ;  and  are  of  a  dirty  pale- 
drab  color,  with  a  slight  tint  of  olivaceous. 

They  vary  in  dimensions  from  2.32  by  1.60  to  2.26  by 
1.62  inch  (both  sizes  from  Wisconsin). 


lb., 


PULIX  AFFIBIS.— BoirA 

The  Little  Blaok-head;  Blue  Bill. 

FuKgvIa  manfa,  Audubon.    Om.  Biog..  IH.  (1835)  226;  V.  (1889)  6U. 

Birds  Am.,  yL  (1848)  816.  ^  „«**»  828 

FuKgula  minor,  Giraud.    Birds  L.  Island  (1844),  828. 

Description. 
Bill  blue-  the  nail  black,  head,  neck,  forepart  of  breast,  and  back  anterior  to 

behind  br  giMntt-Kmk,  "■•  ""l"  "I"  «'  "»  ''"'*''•  ""  «"  ""    1" 

This  species  resembles  the  former  in  its  general  habits, 
but  is  nTore  abundant  on  our  coast,  where  it  ^^^-^^^l 
known  to  our  gumiers  by  the  name  of  "  Blue-bdl  Coot 
It  appears  in  our  creeks  and  bays  early  in  October  and 
remains  with  us  until  late  in  November,  and  even  later,  if 
the  season  is  mild  and  open. 


T 


.-JWl 


OBNITHOLOOY   AND  OOLOGY. 


606 

uThe  food  of  the  Scaup  Duck  I  have  found  to  conBist  of 

u  fV  .vav  fishes  and  a  mixture  of  such  grasses  as  here 

small  fry,  craj-hsiies,  auu  u  "_audubon. 

.„d  there  gro»  *..g  the  be^s  "^^^^^^  .,„,,„  «^e 

"  t  "TrmeTwrll  uTL  divo»,  and,  oUuging 
under  water.    Wl.en  woui       ,  ^^_^^._^^ 

irc-'trrrrtre^r:::^ 

rC:r^reora:aJ2^r::in.en.th,and 
1.60  at  its  greatest  breadth. 

AYTHYA,  Bout. 
Aythya,  BoiK,  I»i8  (1822).    '^ype  ^«« /«^^^^^         the  bill  elongated,  longer 
than  the  head,  and  about  equal  to  the  m.ddle  to  j  ^.^  ^.^^^^^  ^^  ^^^ 

.lender  in  one  «?«"«»•*'=  "''V^l'^^rndthe^nd  <,f  th«  no.trih,  which  do 

luid  neck  red;  toil  of  fourteen  feathers. 

ATTHIA  AMEBICAHA.-B3naj)ar«e. 
The  Bed  Head. 

Afmferina,  Wilson.    Am.  Orn.,  VWjSf^JI;    Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  IV.  (1886) 
FnUgula  fenr>a,SMM.      Man,  II.  (1884)  «*• 
198.    /*.,  Birds  Am.,  VI.  (1848)  311. 

Description.  ♦    «i,n 

Bniaslongasthehe.d,bro^M.;.^^^^^^^^^^ 
•       nostrils  dusky ,  head,  and  neck  for  ^^''-^y^klnA  My  anterior  to  the  shoul- 

above  and  behind  with  -"^-^r-^^^'  "ll?tn"rwhiu,  sprinkled  with  gray 
ders,  lower  part  of  back  and  Udcoye^,  buck   bn^^^^^^^^  ^^^p^,^^^  g„^,y 

Std^Srrirrr  wSr'n'early  e.l  pro^rUons.  imparUng  a 


.-ii>i 


to  consist  of 
■asses  as  here 
' — Audubon. 
iderable  time 
and,  clinging 
ater,  remains 
)t  rise  to  the 
ts  body,  when 
le  bird  to  float 
ce  at  all,  when 
I,  stone  on  the 
3  waves,  or  by 
;ig  habits  and 
I  single  egg  in 
al  in  form,  of 
n  length,  and 


s  bill  elongated,  longer 
1  claw;  the  bill  mora 
le  bill  higher  at  base, 
th«  nostrils,  which  do 
oi  Fvligtdai  the  head 


Om.  Biog.,  IV.  (1886) 


region  anterior  to  the 
h,  brownish-red,  glossed 
,y  anterior  to  the  shoul- 
ite,  sprinkled  with  gray 
rs,  and  scapulars  finely 
iroportions,  imparting  a 


THE  CANVAS-BACK  DUCK. 


507 


Bpeculum.  consisting  of  the  ends  °V','d  externa  ly  with  black;  basal  portion 

"stL, .... . .«  — rr;"J"™;.r.i, -'.rf 

predominance  ot  DiacK  m 

'"Teirwt  trhead.  neck,  and  forepart  of  body,  brownish;  the  region  round 
the  base  of  the  bill  whitish.  „e-hundredth9  inches ;  wing,  nine  and  filly 

Length  of  male, '--' V" ^sSy  oneTlredths ,  commissure,  two  and  thirty 
one-hundredths;  tarsus,  one  and  sixty  one  n 
one-hundredths  inches. 

^aj._  Whole  of  North  America. 

,      ^       o  h\vc\  is  Dretty  abundant  on  our  shores, 
This  handsome  bird  ^s  P^^^^^y  ^  estuaries  of 

^here  it  usually  prefers  the  ^-^^^^^JlJ^^^,,,  of  fresh 
creeks :  it  is  also  found  in  many        ur  larg    t^  ^^  ^^^^ 

water,  where  it  feeds  on  the  te'^der  kav  s  a 
various  aquatic  plants,  and  small  fish  and    ar  4  ^^_ 

i-cts.    I  found  --Ijn^^^^^  ,,,,  ,f 

bagog  Lakes  m  Jmie ;  ^'  ^  I    "^k  ^  ^^^^^  .^  ,,^,  ^f 

are  barren.  ,  ,  resemble  those  of  the 

The  habits  of  this  JP--  f  ^^^:\:;rks  will  apply  to 
Bucceeding  species,  that  the  same 

both. 


The  Canvas-baok  Duck. 
^„.  .««nen«,  Wilson.    Am^Om..VIIMlSU)  108. 

f^i^J<.««iii«.e'-ia,NutUll.    ^^'^l^'' 

^«(*!,araH«neria,  Bonaparte.    1^"^^""'  '•  jy   (iggg)  i.     lb.,  Birds  Xm, 

FMligula  vMUneriam,  Audubou.    Orn.  Biog.,  IV.  I 
VI.  (1848>299. 


\ 


508 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


Desoriftior. 

Bill  long,  slender,  and  tapering;  head  all  round  and  neck  chestnut;  the  top  of 
the  head  and  region  around  the  base  of  the  hill  dusky-brown;  rest  of  neck,  body 
anterior  to  the  shoulders,  back  behind,  rump  and  tail  coverts,  black;  under  parts 
white;  the  region  anterior  to  the  anus,  the  sides,  the  interscapulars  and  scapulars, 
White  finely  dotted,  in  transverse  line,  with  black,  the  white  greatly  predominating; 
speculum  bluish-gray,  lighter  externally;  the  innermost  secondaries  of  the  specu- 
lum edged  externally  with  black;  iris  carmine. 

Female  with  the  black  and  chestnut  replaced  by  brown,  the  cheeks  and  chin 
lighter,  and  some  tinged  with  dull-rufous. 

Length,  twenty  and  ten  one-hundrcdths ;  wing,  nine  and  tliirty  one-hundredthsj 
tarsus,  one  and  seventy  one-hundredths;  commissure,  two  and  sixty-five  inches. 

The  Canvas-back  is  rarely  taken  in  New  England.  I 
have  seen  a  few  that  were  killed  in  Punkapoag  Poud,  Can- 
ton, Mass.  J.  A.  Allen  speaks  of  its  being  occasionally 
found  at  the  western  part  of  tho  State ;  and  I  once  killed 
one  in  Lake  Urabagog,  Me.  It  generally  passes  to  its 
northern  breeding-grounds,  and  back  to  its  winter  home, 
through  the  interior  of  the  country,  seldom  by  the  seaboard, 
at  least  north  of  Pennsylvania ;  and,  when  found  in  New 
England,  is  only  a  wanderer  from  the  great  flight. 

"Wilson,  in  describing  its  habits,  says,— 

"  The  Canvas-back  Duck  arrives  in  the  United  States  from  the 
north  about  the  middle  of  October:  a  few  descend  to  the  Hudson 
and  Delaware;  but  the  great  body  of  these  birds  resort  to  the 
numerous  rivers  'belonging  to  and  in  the  neighborhood  of  the 
Chesapeake  Bay,  particularly  the  Susquehanna,  the  Patapsco, 
Potomac,  and  James  Rivers,  which  appear  to  be  their  general 
winter  rendezvous.  Beyond  this,  to  the  south,  I  can  find  no  cer- 
tain  accounts  of  them.  At  the  Susquehanna,  they  are  called 
Canvas-backs;  on  the  Potomac,  White-backs;  and  on  James 
River,  Sheldrakes.  They  are  seldom  found  at  a  great  distance  up 
any  of  these  rivers,  or  even  in  the  salt-water  bay,  but  in  that  par- 
ticular part  of  tide-water  where  a  certain  grass-like  plant  grows,  on 
the  roots  of  which  they  feed.  This  plant,  which  is  said  to  be  a 
species  -of  vaUisneria,  grows  on  freah-water  shoals  of  froin  seven 
to  nine  feet  (but  never  where  these  are  occasionally  dry),  m  long, 
narrow,  grass-like  blades,  of  four  or  five  feet  in  length:  the  root  is 
white,  and  has  some  resemblance  to  small  celery.     This  grass  is  m 


.^ 


THE   CANVAS-BACK  DUCK. 


609 


Mtnut;  the  top  of 
rest  of  neck,  body 
)lack ;  under  parts 
in  and  scapulars, 
:\y  predominating; 
iries  of  the  specu- 

3  cheeks  and  chin 

:y  one-hundredthsj 
ity-flve  inches. 

England.  I 
g  Poiid,  Can- 
;  occasionally 

I  once  killed 
passes  to  its 
winter  home, 

the  seaboard, 
bund  in  New 
ght. 

States  from  the 
to  the  Hudson 
s  resort  to  the 
borhood  of  the 

the  Patapsco, 
e  their  general 
an  fina  no  cer- 
they  are  called 
aiid  on  James 
•eat  distance  up 
but  in  that  par- 
plant  grows,  on 
is  said  to  be  a 
i  of  from  seven 
ly  dry),  in  long, 
igth :  the  root  is 

This  grass  is  in 


n>any  places  so  thick  that  a  boat  can  with  d.fficnUy  be  rowed 
through  it.  it  so  impedes  the  oars.  The  shores  are  l.ned  w.th  large 
ouantitieB  of  it,  torn  up  by  the  Ducks,  and  drifted  up  by  the  wmds. 
lying,  like  hay,  in  windrows.  Wherever  this  plant  grows  in  abun- 
dance,  the  Canvas-backs  may  be  expected,  either  to  pay  occasiona 
visits,  or  to  make  it  their  regular  residence  during  the  winter.  It 
occurs  in  some  parts  of  the  Hudson;  in  the  Delaware,  near  Glou- 
cester,  a  few  miles  below  Philadelphia,  and  in  most  of  the  rivers 
that  fall  into  the  Chesapeake,  -  to  each  of  which  particular  places 
these  Ducks  resort;  while,  in  waters  unprovided  with  this  nutri- 
tive plant,  they  are  altogether  unknown. 

"On  the  first  arrival  of  these  birds  in  the  Susquehanna,  near 
Havre-de-Grace,  they  are  generally  lean  ;  but  such  is  the  abundance 
of  their  favorite  food,  that,  towards  the  beginning  of  November 
they  are  in  pretty  good  order.     They  are  excellent  divers    and 
swim  with  great  speed  and  agility.     They  sometimes  assemble  in 
such  multitrd.8  as  to  cover  several  acres  of  the  river  and,  when 
they  rise  suddenly,  produce  a  noise  resembling  thunder.     They 
float  about  these  shoals,  diving,  and  tearing  up  the  grass  by  the 
roots,  which  is  the  only  part  they  eat.    They  are  extremely  shy, 
and  can  rarely  be  approached,  unless  by  stratagem.     When  wound- 
ed in  the  wing,  they  dive  to  such  prodigious  distanceo,  and  with 
sucii  rapidity,  continuing  it  so  perseveringly,  and  with  such  cun- 
ning and  active  vigor,  as  almost  always  to  render  the  pursuit  hope- 
less     From  the  great  demand  for  these  Ducks,  and  the  high  price 
they  uniformly  bring  in  market,  various  modes  are  practised  to  get 
within  gunshot  of  them.    The  most  successful  way  is  said  to  be 
decoying  them  to  the  shore  by  means  of  a  dog,  while  the  gunner 
lies  closely  concealed  in  a  proper  situation.    The  dog,  if  properly 
trained,  plays  backwards  and  forwards  along  the  margin  of  the 
water;  and  the  Ducks,  observing  his  manoeuvres,  enticed  perhaps 
by  curiosity,  gradually  approach  the  shore,  until  they  are  sometimes 
within  twenty  or  thirty  yards  of  the  spot  where  the  gunner  lies 
concealed,  and  from  which  he  rakes  them,  first  on  the  water  and 
then  as  they  rise.    This  method  is  called  tollinff  them  tn.    If  the 
Ducks  seem  difiicult  to  decoy,  any  glaring  object,  such  as  a  red 
handkerchief,  is  fixed  round  the  dog's  middle  or  to  his  tail ;  and  this 
rarely  fails  to  attract  them.     Sometimes,  by  moonlight,  the  sports- 


•  » 


510 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


man  directs  his  skiff  towards  a  flock  whose  position  he  had  p.evH 
ously  ascertained,  keeping  within  the  projecting  shadow  of  some 
wood,  hank,  or  headland,  and  paddles  along  so  silently  and  unper- 
ceplibly  as  often  to  approach  within  fifteen  or  twenty  yards  of  a 
flock  of  many  thousands,  among  whom  he  generally  makes  great 

slaughter.  .   ,     ,  i 

"Many  other  stratagems  are  practised,  and,  indeed,  every  plan 
that  the  ingenuity  of  the  experienced  sportsman  can  suggest,  to 
approach  within  gunshot  of  these  birds:  but,  of  all  the  modes  pur- 
sued,  none  intimidate  them  so  much  as  shooting  them  by  night; 
and  they  soon  abandon  the  place  where  they  have  been  thus 
repeatedly  shot  at.  During  the  day,  they  are  dispersed  about,  but, 
towards  evening,  collect  in  large  flocks,  and  come  into  the  mouths 
of  creeks,  where  they  often  ride  as  at  anchor,  with  their  head 
under  their  wing,  asleep ;  there  being  always  sentinels  awake,  ready 
to  raise  an  alarm  on  the  least  appearance  of  danger.  Even  when- 
feeding  and  diving  in  small  parties,  the  whole  never  go  down  at  ono 
time,  but  some  are  still  left  above  on  the  lookout. 

"When  the  winter  sets  in  severely,  and  the  river  is  frozen,  the 
Canvas-backs  retreat  to  its  confluence  with  the  bay;  occasionally 
frequenting  air-holes  in  the  ice,  which  are  sometimes  made  for  the 
purpose,  immediately  above  their  favorite  grass,  to  entice  them 
within  gunshot  of  the  hut  or  bush,  which   is  usually  fixed  at  a 
proper  distance,  and  where  the  gunner  lies  concealed,  ready  to  take 
advantage  of  their  distress.     A  Mr.  Hill,  who  lives  near  James 
River,  at  a  place  called  Herring  Creek,  informs  me,  that,  one 
severe  winter,  he  and  another  person  broke  a  hole  in  the  ice,  about 
twenty  by  forty  feet,  immediately  over  a  shoal  of  grass,  and  took 
their  stand  on  the  shore  in  a  hut  of  brush,  each  having  three  guns 
well  loaded  with  large  shot.    The  Ducks,  which  were  flying  up  and 
down  the  river,  in  great  extremity,  soon  crowded  to  this  place,  so 
that  the  whole  open  space  was  not  only  covered  with  them,  but  vast 
numbers  stood  on  the  ice  around  it.    They  had  three  rounds,  firing 
both  at  once,  and  picked  up  eighty-eight  Canvas-backs,  and  might 
have  collected  more,  had  they  been  able  to  get  to  the  extremity  of 
the  ice  after  the  wounded  ones.    In  the  severe  winter  of  1779-80, 
the  grass,  on  the  roots  of  which  these  birds  feed,  was  almost  wholly 
destroyed  in  James  River.     In  the  month  of  January,  the  wmd 


riii>|iiii,iiliiiHttHtoliiMiiWuiiiN'i*iiifc^^ 


||ml|.IHl,»JM!L.'l''M*'l"«MW""Wi'"'*'*'***' 


m^ 


barrow's  aOLDEN  EYE. 


611 


he  liad  ptevi- 
ladow  of  some 
itly  and  iiinmr- 
enty  yards  of  a 
ly  makes  great 

lecd,  every  plnn 
can  suggest,  to 
the  modes  pur- 
them  by  night ; 
lave  been  thus 
jrsed  about,  but, 
into  the  mouths 
[vith  their  head 
els  awake,  ready 
er.  Even  when 
r  go  down  at  ono 

er  is  frozen,  the 
»ay ;  occasionally 
es  made  for  the 

to  entice  them 
ually  fixed  at  a 
led,  ready  to  take 
ives  near  James 
18  me,  that,  one 
I  in  the  ice,  about 
f  grass,  and  took 
aving  three  guns 
rere  flying  up  and 
d  to  this  place,  so 
ith  them,  but  vast 
iree  rounds,  firing 
•backs,  and  might 

the  extremity  of 
inter  of  1779-80, 
was  almost  wholly 
January,  the  wind 


continued  to  blow  from  W.N.V^  for  twenty-one  days,  which  caused 
such  low  tides  in  the  river,  that  the  grass  froze  to  the  ice  every- 
where: and,  a  thaw  coming  on  suddenly,  the  whole  was  raised  by 
the  roots,  and  carried  off"  by  the  fresh.  The  next  winter,  a  few  of 
these  Ducks  were  seen  ;  but  they  soon  went  away  again  :  and,  for 
many  years  after,  they  continued  to  bo  scarce ;  and,  even  to  the 
present  day,  in  the  opinion  of  my  informant,  have  never  been  so 
plenty  as  before." 

Tho  delicacy  of  tlio  flesh  of  this  bird  for  food  is  so  well 
known  that  any  remarks  here  seem  superfluous ;  but  1  will 
say  that  it  does  not  greatly  excel  that  of  the  Red  Head,  and 
in  my  own  opinion  is  not  at  all  superior  to  that  of  the  Teals 

or  Widgeon. 

The  Canvas-back  breeds  in  the  most  northern  portions  of 
tho  continent.  I  am  ignorant  of  its  habits  in  the  season 
of  incubation,  and  have  but  one  egg  in  my  collection  to 
describe  from.  This  is  of  an  ovate  form,  nearly  oval,  of  a 
pale-blue  color  with  an  olivaceous  tinge,  quite  smooth  to 
the  touch,  and  quite  thin  and  brittle.  Its  dimensions  are 
2.54  by  1.78  inch. 

BUCEPHALA,  Baird. 

aanguh,  Fleming,  Philoa.  Zool.  (1828).  (Type  Anai  clanguUi,  L.)  Not  of 
1822  wliich  has  Anas  glacialit  for  type,  according  to  G.  R.  Gray. 

Bill,  from  feathers  of  forehead,  about  equal  to  tho  tarsus,  and  shorter  than  the 
head-  high  at  the  base;  lateral  outlines  tapering  to  the  tip,  where  the  nail  forms 
onlvthe  central  portion,  though  .ather  large ;  nostrils  situated  near  tho  muldle  of 
the'biU;  feathers  of  chin  and  forehead  extending  only  moderately  forward,  a  l.ttlo 
ftirther  than  those  of  the  cheeks;  tarsus  rather  more  than  half  the  foot;  tail  raoder- 
ately  long,  about  half  the  wiag,  and  somewhat  pointed;  of  sixteen  feathers. 

BU(3EPHALA  ISLANDICA.  —  Beirrf. 
Barrow's  Golden  £ye. 


Fuligula  ( Clangula)  Barrmoii,  Nuttall.    Man.,  II.  444. 
FuKgula  clangula,  Audubon.     Om.  Biog.,  V.  (1839)  106. 
(1843). 


76.,  Birds  Am.,  VI. 


T 


M 


512  OBNITHOLOOY   AND   OOLOGY. 

VMCuirtwv. 

flection,  a  largo  white  patc«.a„.eno^^^^^^^^^^^^^  ^^  ^„,^,  p.^  ,,y 

and  running  up  in  a  pon,  »"  ^'>;f''~ '^g  eovert.,  the  greater  coveH.  bla..k 
white,  a  narrow  white  patch  on  '^e  m'^dl' *^»8  .econd.rie.,  but  separated 

tipped  with  white,  which  U  ^^^^^^^ZTJ^^^^r.  white.  ed«ed  externally  with 
ft„„.that  on  the  '-^'''\^^'1\ZXZ\m  .ire.^-,  re,t  of  upper  i^rt.  black, 

tipped  and  edged  above  *"'' j;"'=^„^.^„„dredth,  inche.,  wing,  nine  and  fifty  one- 
Length,  twenty-two  and  JJy;-  •^;"j;,„„j„j,hs  Inches,  com.ni..ure.  one  and 
hundredths;  tortus,  one  and  fifty-eigw  one 

''«';r:tr d!«d "nInLrn  parU  of  A«eri«.    In  winter,  not  rar,  on  the  St. 
Lawrence. 

•      •    <-^„n^  in   considerablo  numbers  on  our 
This  species  is  found  in   co"»^"«  ,  .     ^^  j.^  tl,e 

of  the  succeeding  species. 

BUCEPHALA  AMBBICAIA.  -  S«»>A 
The  Golden  Eye ;  WhUtle  VTing. 

Ancuclanguh,yfi^^on-     A^-O"^' J"^;^^'"syn?(1828)  398.    Nutt.  Man,  II. 
Fuligula  iClansula)  clanguU,  Bonaparte,     ay    , 


441. 


■n-        IV  MRflg't  318.    /6.,  Birds  Atn..  VI. 
W.>/a  cJan,«Z«,  Audubon.    Om.  B.og.,  IV.  (1888) 

(1848)362.  ^        r>„™«   Tint  (1838).    Eyt.  Mon.  An«t.  (1888) 

cL^fa  Americana,  Bonaparte.     Comp.  L.st  (1838) 

l^'^'  DE8CRIPT1C-.. 

Bill  blacU,  head  an.  «pper  part  Of  n^cK^^y^- 

velvety  parplinh-black,  ^I'^^'^^^'^l^fX^''^'^^^  ^  ^^  ""'''  ""l 

nor  to  the  eye,  lower  part  o^  "-l^'  ^  '„^„*^^^,.  (/„,  tertials,  except  the  innennost 
greater  wing  coverts,  the  '"~"\  ""^  i„  ,  continuous  patch,  although  there 
toee  or  four),  white,  the  ^^'"'  ""'f J"/^ ''  coverts,  the  inner  scapulars  are 

is  a  concealed  black  bar  on  '>!  \-"j' ^i.^^y,  however,  they  an.  black,  streaked 
«hite,marginedexternaUyw.thWack  Jter    ^^  ^,„  ^,„„  back,  rump, 

centrally  with  white;  the  mn  r  «<=«?»  ""^J.^^  ^^^  t^j,  black,  with  a  hoary  gloss, 
and  lesser  wing  coverU,  are  W»ck ,  ^he  pnmane^  p,„„beous.gray ,  the  rest  of 
the  under  side  of  .uil  -nd   -r  «-«;« --^„,  ^  ,„,,  .hite  feathers  of  the 

,Ststtrdrri^^r^  omy  —  withw^te,  there  .s  a  ten- 


THE  GOLDEN   EYE. 


618 


re«n  or  purplish  re- 
intiro  »ido  of  the  l>ill, 
nder  p«rw  generally 
jester  coverts  hlat^k, 
larieg,  but  separated 
Ijjed  externally  with 
of  upper  i>rtrt8  black, 
1  of  the  flank  white, 

{,  nine  and  fifty  one- 
1  commiasure,  one  and 

r,  not  r»re  on  the  St. 


lumbers  on  our 
It  breeds  in  the 
the  other  habits 


i)  898.  Nutt.  Man.,  11. 
18.  lb..  Birds  Am.,  VI- 
Eyt.  Mon.  An«t.  (1838J 


the  under  surface  opaque 
of  upper  mandible  ante- 
y,  and  sides,  middle  and 
als.  except  the  innermost 
,ou8  patch,  although  there 
ts;  the  inner  scapulars  are 
er,  they  arc  black,  streaked 
id  the  whole  back,  rump, 
black,  with  a  hoary  gloss; 
imbeous-gray;  the  rest  of 
long  white  feathers  of  the 

rithout  white  patch;  white 
ffithwWte;  there  is  a  ten- 


dency to  .  black  bar  across  the  tip.  of  th.  gr-ter  covert.;  the  white  of  tb.  wing 

"TlTh^igh!:;:!  seventy-nve  one-hundredth,  inches;  wing,  eight  and  flfty- 
onct"Sr;£;  lus.  one  .n.I  .Ifty  one-hundredth.;  .ommis.ure.  two  .nch... 
i/oA.—  Whole  of  North  America. 

This  handsome  species  is  a  common  spung  and  autumn 
resident  in  New  England  ;  and  in  mild  winters  \.  often  seen 
botli  in  tiie  bays  and  rivers  on  the  coast,  and  in  the  lakes 
and  ponds  in  the  interior,  when  they  arc  open.     It  breeds 
in  tl^  northern  portions  of  New  England,  particu  arly  ui 
the  lake  country  of  Northern  Maine.    I  have  fonnd  it,  in  the 
breeding  season,  in  Lake  Umbagog,  and  in  t'.e  Magalloway 
River;  but,  although  I  searched  carefully  for  its  ..est,  I 
could  not  find  it.    This  might  have  '  oon,  and  probably  was 
owing  to  the  nature  of  the  nesting-place ;  for  I  saw  several 
pairs,  and  the  localities  were  those  which  this  bird  selects 
for  the  purpose  of  incubation.  .  „    .     j 

The  nest  of  this  species  is  built  in  a  hole,  ma  tall  dead 
tree,  or  in  the  top  of  a  tall  stub,  which  is  hollowed  sufficiently 
for  its  reception.     The  pines  and  hemlocks  often  die  ;  and 
standing  for  years,  the  bark  drops  off,  then  the  hmbs,  until 
the  body  is  at  last  left,  a  single  straight,  smooth,  wlnte  «haft 
often  from  forty  to  fifty  feet  high,  and  two  or  three  feet  thick 
at  its  base.    At  last,  in  a  fierce  storm  or  gale,  the  shaft  either 
breaks  off  close  to  the  ground,  or  at  sometimes  the  height 
of  twenty  or  more  feet;  leaving,  in  the  top  that  remains 
standing,  a  huge  rent,  sometimes  a  foot  or  even  more  m 
depth      In  this  the  Golden  Eye  nests;  building  of  grass, 
leaves,  moss,  and  down  from  its  own  breast,  a  warm  8tru(> 
ture,  in  which  she  lays  from  six  to  ten  eggs     These  are 
generally  very  rounded  in  form,  of  a  greemsh-bluo  color 
and  average  from  2.40  by  1.75  inch  to  2  36  by  1.78  inch 
in  dimensLs.    The  loud  whistling  of  the  wings  of  this 
Bpecies,  as  it  passes  through  the  air,  has  given  it  the  name 
of  the  "Whistler."     The  bird  feeds  on  small  fish  and 
various  aquatic  plants,  and,  when  living  in  the  interior,  is 

33 


!  ;i 


I 


I 


ORNITHOLOQY   AND  OOLOGY. 

a  fine-flavored  fowl  for  tho  tablo ;  but,  when  killed  on  the 
ooast,  itH  flc,«h  i8  n«hy  und  nti-ong.  It  is  a  bird  of  very 
rapid  flight,  and  is  rather  shy  and  dilTicult  of  approacii. 

BDCEPHALA  ALBBOLA.  —  Baird. 
The  Buffle-head ;  Dipper;  ButUr-ball. 
Ana.  nlbeola,  Llnn.u..      Sy.t  N.t.  I.  (1766)   190.     WiU.   Am.  Orn.,  VIH 

*"Vi?l.  ( Ctangula)  nlb^ola,  HonapaHe.    Syn.  (1828)  894.    N.at.  Man    11.  445^ 
ZC^  olbd,  Audubon.     Orn.  Biog..  IV.  (1838)  217.     lb.,  UW.  Am.,  VI. 

Afate.- Bill  blue,  he.d  .nd  neck  .ntoriorly,  dark-colored ;  the  region  In  front 
of  Z  eye  and  on  the  .Ide.  of  the  collar  behind,  rich-green,  th..  color  .hading  no 
purpulon  the  upper  and  under  .urf.ce.  of  the  head;  a  broad  patch  on  each  .ide 
^f  th  ead  fromTe  po.terior  border  of  the  eye.  an.l  meeting  it.  fellow  on  the  nape 
Ifowe  ne  k  all  ro^nd.  under  part,  generally,  wing  covert,  (except  the  le..er) 
and  m"t  o  the  .econdarie.,  and  the  .capul.r,,  white,  the  lalter  narrowly  edged 
external  with  black,  re.t  of  upper  part.,  except  a.  de.cr.b..d  black ,  pa.,mg 
^;Zllv  on  the  upper  Uil  covert,  into  pale-gray,  axillar.  and  under  w.ng  coverU 
K,otv-brown.  more  or  le..  tipped  with  white,  in.  hazel. 

Feml.-  With  the  entire  head,  neck,  and  upper  part,  almo,t  black,  an  elongated 
patch  behind  and  below  the  eye  (not  reaching  it),  the  outer  webs  of  some  .econd- 
£.  and  the  under  part.,  white,  the  jugulum,  side.,  and  anal  n.g.on,  plumbeou- 

■""Lngth,  fifteen  inche,,  wing,  .ix  and  .ixty-fl^  one-hundredth.,  ««»"«-  o"««"'i 
twenty-flve  one-hundredth.,  commi«ure,  one  and  forty-four  one-h.ndredth.  mch. 

This  very  common  and  woll-known  bird  is  abundant  on 
our  coast  in  the  spring  and  autumn.     It  associates  with 
most  of  the  other  Sea  Ducks  in  our  bays  and  creeks,  but,  in 
the  interior,  is  seen  only  in  pairs,  or  in  small  flocks  of 
three  or  four  individuals.     It  is  an  expert  diver;  and  one 
finds  difficulty  in  shooting  it  when  there  are  two  or  three 
individuals  together,  from  its  habit  of  diving  at  the  flash  of 
the  gun.     I  have  seen  \t  at  times,  particularly  after  a  severe 
storm,  in  small  fresh-water  ponds,  in  the  interior;  and,  at 
such  times,  it  is  quite  tame  and  unsuspicious,  or  possibly 
fatigued  from  its  efforts  in  the  storm.     It  feeds  on  small 
fish  and  crustaceans,  which  it  is  very  expert  at  catching. 
When  several  birds  are  together,  one  always  remains  on  the 


igiiiiwrmrn-" 


TUB  HARLEQUIN   DUCK. 


(08 


killed  on  tho 
bird  of  vory 
)f  approach. 


I.   Am.  Orn.,  VIII 

utt.  Man.,  II.  4«. 
Jb.,  UirdB  Am.,  VI. 


tho  region  In  front 
I  color  aliading  into 

patch  on  each  «lde 
8  fellow  on  tho  nape, 

(except  the  le«»or) 
itfor  narrowly  edged 
bed,  black;  passing 
,  undsr  wing  coverta 

t black;  an  elongated 
•ebs  of  »on\e  second- 
d  region,  plumbeoiu- 

dths ;  tarnus,  one  and 
le-handredtha  inch. 

,8  abundant  on 
associates  with 
I  creeks,  but,  in 
small  flocks  of 
diver ;  and  one 
re  two  or  three 
5  at  the  flash  of 
•ly  after  a  severe 
nterior ;  and,  at 
0U8,  or  possibly 
feeds  on  small 
ert  at  catching. 
i  remains  on  the 


■urfaco  while  tho  others  are  ImjIow  in  search  of  food,  and,  if 
alarmed,  it  utters  a  short  ipiack,  when  tho  others  rise  to  the 
Burlace ;  and,  on  asctjrtaiiiing  tho  cause  of  tho  alarm,  all 
divo  and  swim  off  rapidly  to  tho  distanco  of  several  hundrod 
feet.  The  Bunio-head  breeds  in  tho  northern  portions  of 
tho  continent.  It  nests  in  tho  holes  of  dead  trees,  like  the 
preceding.     Tho  eggs  are  from  five  to  eight  in  number. 

HI8TRI0NICUS,  LEiaow. 

nUtrionicui,  Litaaos,  MaA.  d'Omilh.,  II.  (1H2R)  418.  (Typo  Ann,  hittrionica,  L.) 
Hill  very  nmnll;  the  culinen  ithorter  than  tar»u«,  tapering  rapidly  to  the  rounded 
tip,  which  iH  entirely  occupied  by  the  nail;  nostriln  Mnall,  in  tho  anterior  portion  of 
pnMerior  half  of  bill;  tho  centre  about  opponito  tho  mid.lle  of  commissure;  a  well- 
marked  angl.i  at  tho  p<.»tero-superior  comer  of  tho  bill;  the  lateral  outline  con- 
cave behind,  tho  fedthers  on  forehead  extending  a  little  beyond  it;  those  of  chin  not 
reaching  further  than  thoie  of  the  nidefi,  and  much  posterior  to  tho  no»lril»;  lateral 
outline  of  edge  of  bill  nearly  straight;  a  membranous  lobe  at  tho  base  of  tho  bill; 
tcrtials  bent  outward,  so  a»  to  cross  the  edge  of  the  wing;  Uil  more  than  half  tho 
wing,  considerably  pointed,  of  fourteen  feathers. 

HISTBI0SICTI3    TOKQOATUS.  — ^onnparrt. 
The  Harlequin  Dunk. 

Anai  hiUrimiea,  Linnasus.     Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1768)  127.    Wils.  Am.  Orn.,  VIH. 

nS14)  139.  ,,        „        „   ^,„ 

■     Fulmida  (  Clangula)  hitlrionica,  Bonaparte.    Syn.  (1828),  894.    S utt.  Man.,  II.  448. 
Futi'nuh  hiXrionica,  Audubon.    Orn.  Biog.,  III.  (1835)  GVi :  V.  (1839)  017.     lb., 
Birds  Am.,  VI.  (1843)874. 

Descbiption. 

Male  —Head  and  neck  all  round  dark-blue;  JHgulum,  sides  of  breast,  and  upper 
parts,  lighter  blue,  becoming  blui.sh-black  a^ain  on  the  tail  coverts;  the  bh.o  of 
breast  passes  insensibly  into  dark  bluish-brown  behind;  a  broad  stripe  along  the 
top  of  head  from  the  bill  to  the  nape,  and  the  tail  feathers,  black;  a  white  patch 
along  the  entire  side  of  the  base  of  bill  anterior  to  the  eye,  an.l  passing  upwards 
and  backwards  so  as  to  border  the  black  of  the  crown,  but  replaced  from  above  the 
eve  to  tho  nape  by  chestnut;  a  round  spot  on  tho  Me  of  the  occiput;  an  elongated 
one  on  the  side  of  the  neck;  a  collar  round  the  lower  part  of  tho  neck,  interruptc.l 
before  and  behind,  and  margined  behind,  by  dark-blue;  a  transversely  elongated 
patch  on  each  side  tho  breast,  and  similarly  margined;  a  round  spot  on  the  m.ddlo 
wing  coverts,  ii  transverse  patch  on  tho  end  of  the  greater  coverts,  the  scapulars  in 
part,  a  broad  streak  on  tho  outer  web  of  tortials.  and  a  spot  on  each  side  tho  rest  of 
the  tail,  white;  sides  of  body  behind  chestnut-brown;  secondaries  with  a  metallic 
speculum  of  purplish  or  violet-blue  j  Inside  of  wing,  and  axillars,  dark-bro^vn;  ins 
reddish-brown. 


'&16 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


Female.  —With  the  head  and  body  above,  dark-brown ;  the  chin  pore  plumbcon*; 
the  lower  part  of  neck,  breast,  and  under  parts  generally,  except  the  central  region 
(which  is  white),  duller  and  lighter  brown;  a  whiUsh  patch  in  front  of  the  eye,  and 
a  rounded  spot  just  behind  the  ear. 

Length,  seventeen  and  fifty  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  seven  and  seventy 
one-hundredths;  tarsus,  one  and  forty-eight  one-hundredths ;  commissure,  one  and 
fifty-four  one-hundredths  inches. 

Hab.  — Northern  seocoast  of  jjorthem  hemisphere. 

The  Harlequin  Duck  is  very  rare  in  Southern  New  Eng- 
land, and  is  seldom  met  with  here  south  of  the  most  north- 
ern portions  on  its  coast.  There  it  is  pretty  abundantly 
seen  as  a  winter  visitor.  It  greatly  resembles  the  following 
in  its  general  characteristics.  Its  nest  and  eggs  are  thus 
described : 

"The  nest  is  composed  of  dry  plants  of  various  kinds,  arranged 
in  a  circular  manner  to  the  height  of  three  or  four  inches,  and  lined 
with  finer  grasses.  The  eggs  are  five  or  six,  rarely  more,  measure 
two  inches  and  one-sixteenth  by  one  inch  and  four  and  a  half 
eighths,  and  are  of  a  plain  greenish-yellow  color.  After  the  eggs 
are  laid,  the  female  plucks  the  down  from  the  lower  parts  of  her 
body,  and  places  it  beneath  and  around  them." 

HABELDA,  Lkach. 

"JJareWa,  Leach  (1816),"  Gray.    {Ty^e  Atuu  glacialis,  h.)  ^     .        ., 

Bill  shorter  than  the  head  and  tarsus,  tapering  laterally  to  the  end;  the  nail 
ver^-  broad,  occupying  the  entire  tip;  lateral  profile  of  lower  edge  of  upper  mandi- 
ble'straight  to  near  the  end,  then  rising  saddenly  to  the  prominent  decunred  na.  ; 
nostrils  large,  in  the  posterior  half  of  the  bill,  their  centre  about  opposite  the  middle 
of  the  commissure;  tertials  long,  lanceolate,  and  straight;  tail  pointed,  of  fourteen 
feathers,  the  central  feathers  very  long,  equal  to  the  wings;  bill  with  almost  no  pos- 
terior lateral  upper  angle;  the  feathers  of  the  sides  advancing  ooliquely  forwards; 
feathers  of  chin  reaching  beyond  the  middle  of  the  commissure,  or  almost  to  the 
anterior  extremity  of  nostrils;  taU  of  fourteen  feathers. 


HABELDA  OLACIALIS.— £«acA. 

The  South  Southerly,  Old  Vife;  Long-taU. 

Anas  gladali$,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  VIIL  (1814)  98,  96.         ^ 
Fvliqtda  (Harelda)  gladalit,  NuttaU.    Man.,  IL  (1834)  458. 
FJgrJa  gladalit,  Audubou.    Om.  Biog.,  IV.  (1888)  103.    /6.,  Birds  Am.,  VL 
(1M8)  879 


irnw»lwiailTfiii>Mmi 


XMUS&^blMmi 


THE   SOUTH   SOUTHERLY. 


617 


inoTe  ptumbeons; 
le  central  region 
t  of  the  eye,  and 

fen  and  seventy 
nissure,  one  and 


n  New  Eng- 
most  north- 
■  abundantly 
;he  following 
;g8  are  thus 

inds,  arranged 
jhes,  and  lined 
more,  measure 
ir  and  a  half 
After  the  eggs 
er  parts  of  her 


the  end;  the  nail 
;e  of  upper  mandi- 
jnt  decurved  nail; 
ippoBite  the  middle 
ointed,  of  fourteen 
nth  alrnost  no  pos- 
)bliquely  forwards ; 
I,  or  almost  to  the 


[b.,  Birds  Am.,  VI. 


Descriptioh. 

Male  in  ,«mmer.-Bill  black,  orange-yellow  towards  the  tip;  he^d.neck,  and 
breast  very  dark  blackish-brown;  the  head  above,  back,  rump,  and  middle  ta.l 
Se^,  bLk;  the  whole  side  of  the  head  from  the  bill  and  to  behmd  the  eyes  and 
toe  de  of  th  body,  pale  bluish-gray;  the  portion  of  the  cheek  patch  .mmed.ateb' 
Irund  and  b  hind  ihe  eye  with  a  longitudinal  streak  each  side  theocc.put;  he 
under  mrts  generally,  and  the  more  external  tail  feathers,  white,  feathers  on  the 
:r  part  of  The  back,  with  the  scapulars,  broadly  edged  with  light  reddish-brown , 
mider  wing  coverts  and  axiUars  brownish-chocolate,  no  white  whatever  on  the 

"'"Ifa/e  in  wi.-Uer. -Differs  from  summer  dress  in  having.the  head  and  neck  white 
to  the  jugulum  and  interscapular  region;  the  gray  of  the  cheeks  persistent,  and  a 
broad  patTh  of  black  on  the  sides  of  the  neck  behind  this;  the  scapulars  are  pale 

''"'JSI.^Lrckrthe  long  points  to  the  tail  and  scapulars;  the  head  and  neck 
dusky,  with  a  whitish  patch  around  the  eye  and  on  the  sides  of  the  neck  behmd. 

Lencth  twenty  and  seventy-flve  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  eight  and  ninety 
one-hundredths;  tail,  eight;  tarsus,  one  and  thirty^ight  one-hundredths,  comma- 
suie,  one  and  sixty-two  one-hundredths  inches. 

The  Long-tailed  Duel  so  common  in  Massachusetts  Bay 
in  the  fall  and  spring  migrations,  breeds  in  the  most  north- 
ern portions  of  the  continent. 

Audubon,  in  describing  the  nest  and  eggs,  says,— 

"  The  nest  was  placed  under  an  alder-bush,  among  rank  weeds, 
not  more  than  eight  or  nine  feet  from  the  edge  of  the  water,  and 
was  formed  of  rather  coarse  grass,  with  an  upper  layer  of  finer 
weeds,  which  were  neatly  arranged,  while  the  down  filled  the  bot- 
tom of  the  cavity.  [This  was  on  the  28th  of  July,  1833.  The 
young  birds  had  left  this  nest.]  The  number  of  young  broods  m 
Bight  induced  me  to  search  for  more  nests;  and  in  about  an  hour 
I  discovered  six  more,  in  one  of  which  I  was  delighted  to  find  two 
unhatched  eggs.  They  measured  two  inches  and  one-eighth  long, 
by  one  and  four  and  a  half  eighths  broad ;  were  of  a  uniform  pale 
yellowish-green,  and  quite  smooth." 

In  the  months  of  September  and  October,  this  bird  is 
most  abundant  in  New  England.  It  gathers  in  immense 
flocks,  and  frequents  the  bays  and  inlets  on  the  shore, 
where,  keeping  up  its  peculiar  cry  or  chatter,  the  noise 
3f  the  flock  is  sometimes  to  be  heard  at  the  distance  of 
a  mUe.     It  is  in  this  season,  that  the  gunner,  with  his 


gjg  ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOfiY. 

Bail-boat  or  float,  pursues  these  birds  with  great  activity 
On  approaching  one  of  these  large  flocks,  it  ^s  customary  to 
?teer  the  boat  to  the  windward  of  it;  for  they,  hke  most 
other  fowls  always  rise  to  the  windward.     When,  therefore 
telZe    arri/es  within  gunshot,  he  fires  -to  the  flock 
wl  ilf  it  is  in  the  water  ;  and  when  it  rises  and  flies  to  the 
wbdward,  often  directly  over  his  boat,  he  pours  into 
Zelime    three  or  four  other  charges  before  it  gets  ou 
of'hot     It  is  a  difficult  bird  to  kill ;  and,  when  wounded,  i 
aLays  dives  and  clings  to  the  bottom,  where  it  dies     I  once 
;!:rght  down  seven  birds  out  of  a  flock  at  ^^^ 
when  they  dove,  and  I  did  not  secure  one.     Its  flesh  is  oily 
and  strong,  and  is  in  no  repute  for  the  table. 


MELANETTA,  Bow. 

truncate. 

MELAHETTA  VELVETIHA.  —  £a«»^ 
The  Velvet  Duck;  White-winged  Coot. 

Anatfu,ca,VriUon.    ^m.  Cm.,  VIH.  (181*)  187-    *  uutt.  Man.,  H. 

FuUgiUa  (OWemta)  fu,ea,  Bonaparte.     8yn.  (1828),  390. 

^'%*2«/-,  Audubon.     Om.Biog..  111.(1885)854.     /*..  Birds  An...  VI. 

(1843)  332. 

*•        '  Description. 

«f  I,      Bill  very  broad,  wider  towards  the  tip  than  at  the  base;  feathers  extend- 

•     f    l"  ~.  tSoSbm,  and  on  th«  forehead,  for  nearly  half  the  comm.ssure 
ing  far  along  the  side  ot  tne  oui,  au  ^^  ^^^  ^^^j^^^  ^^ 

running  in  - /''^  b^h  retun^nelrj^^^^^  border  of  the  large,  open, 

feathers  on  the  side,  both  reaching  T"f ,  .  ,i,,,rLvond  the  frontal  feathers,  then 
nearly  --ded nostrils,  cutaenhon.^^^^^^^^^  ^^^^^^ 

abruptly  bent  downwards,  ";f';y  f  [^ J^ng  Ae  b«,e  of  culmen,  ending  in  « 
horizontal  portion;  «  «bajT  indented  ridge  along  w^^^^^  ^^^^ 

r'^'^rndtiir?  :m  r^^^^^^^^^  °^  -^^  — ™' 

l:f;^f  greateJ'c:;'^    bm  bUek  at  base  and  lateral  edges,  redeUewhere,  in. 
bright^yellow.  ^^^^^^ .  ^  ,^^g^  ,^.ti,h  patch  on  the 


.,^miiitt'r''ntk'-'- 


THE   VELVET   DUCK. 


519 


1  great  activity. 
,  is  customary  to 
they,  like  most 
When,  therefore, 
38  into  the  flock 
I,  and  flies  to  the 
he  pours  into  it 
efore  it  gets  out 
when  wounded,  it 
re  it  dies.    I  once 
it  one  discharge. 
Its  flesh  is  oily 
le. 


)f  the  bill  as  the  nostril, 
idi  nail  broad  and  almost 


ird. 

jOOt. 

),  390.     Nutt.  Man.,  II. 
(64,     lb.,  Birds  Am.,  VI. 


the  base;  feathers  extend- 
learly  half  the  commissure, 
wer  comer  of  the  outline  of 
r  border  of  the  large,  open, 
id  the  frontal  feathers,  then 
;he  much-depressed,  nearly 
use  of  culmen,  ending  in  a 

around  and  a  little  behind 
iposed  of  white  secondaries 
d  edges;  red  elsewhere;  irU 

I  large  whitish  patch  on  the 
wings  with  white  speculum, 
illen  and  elevated  at  base. 


u    .       .  ^n«  «nd  Iftv  one-hundredthfl  inches;  wing,  eleven  and  thirty 
oiSLrrrsurtwrand  .ght  one.h„ndredth.;   commissure  two  and 

The  Velvet  Duck,  or  "  White-winged  Coot,"  as  it  is  com- 
monly called  on  our  coast,  is  a  very  abundant  species,  m  the 
Tutumn  and  through  the   greater  part  of  the  wmte^^  m 
th   bays  and  inlets  along  our  whole  shores.    It  is  one  of  the 
Sea  Ducks ;  and,  although  occasionally  found  m  small  nam- 
bers  in  the  large  bodies  of  water  in  the  interior,  it  is  sel- 
dom  seen  in  large  flocks  in  any  other  localities  than  the' 
salt  waters   of  the  seacoast.     There  it  is  taken  m  abm- 
dance  from  the  first  week  in  October  until  the  middle  of 
December.     The  sportsmen,  with  decoys  made   o    wood, 
minted  to  resemble  these  fowls,  anchor  their  small  boats 
in  localities  where  the  Coots  are  known  to  pass  ;  and,  from 
early  dawn  until  late  in  the  forenoon,  and  from  late  in  the 
afternoon   until  night,  keep  up  a  constant  fusillade   on 
the  swiftly  moving  flocks.     I  have  known  two  gunners  to 
secure,  in  one  day's  shooting,  thirty  pairs  of  these  birds, 
and  this  large  number  is  often  exceeded. 

The  "Coots"  are  hunted  more  for  the  excitement  of  the 
thing  than  for  the  sake  of  their  flesh  ;  for,  living  as  they  do, 
entirely  on  fish  and  a  few  moUusks,  their  flesh  is  strong 
and  oily,  and  far  from  pleasant.     This  species  breeds  m 
Labrador  and  other  northern  localities.    "The  nests  are 
placed  within  a  few  feet  of  the  borders  of  small  lakes, 
a  mile  or  two  distant  from  the  sea,  under  the  low  boughs 
of  the  bushes  of  the  twigs  of  which,  with  mosses  and 
various  plants  matted  together,  they  are  forjned      They 
are  large,  and  almost  flat,  several  inches  thick,  with  some 
feathers  of  the  female,  but  no  down,  under  the  eggs, 
which  are  usually  six  in  number,  2f  inches  m  length  by 
1|  in  breadth,  and  of  a  uniform  pale-<}ream  color  tinged 
with  green." 


^^^^^^i^lij^i^g^llggllllgll 


I 


520 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


PELIONETTA,  Kaup. 


Nutt  Man., 


Feather,  not  extending  on  .ides  of  the  biUi  nail  pointed  anteriorly;  color,  black, 
with  a  triangular  white  patch  on  the  top  of  head  and  another  on  nape ;  bill  red, 
with  a  rounded  black  lateral  spot  at  baw. 

PELIOHETTA  PERSPICILLATA.  — ^au». 
The  Surf  Duck;   Sea  Coot;  Butter-bill  Coot. 
Anas  per^liata,  Wi\«yn.    Am.  Cm.,  VIIL  (1814)  49. 
FuUgula  {Oidemia)  perspicUlala,  Bonaparte.    Syn.  (1828),  889. 

"■  Fuiiguh  perspiciUata,  Audubon.    Cm.  Biog.,  IV.  (1888)  161.    lb.,  Bird.  Am., 

VL  (1843)  887. 

Description. 

Male.  -Tail  of  fourteen  feathers;  bUl  but  little  longer  than  the  head,  the  feathers 
extending  forward  half-way  from  ti.e  base  to  the  tip,  and  opposite  the  postenor  border 
of  The  nostril,  the  bill  abruptly  decurved  or  gibbous  anterior  to  the  end  of  the 
fea  h  rs;  nostrils  open,  nearly  semicircular  or  stirrup-shaped,  the  f  «>ght  port.on  of 
he  outl  ne  antero-infferior,  sides  of  bill  swollen  at  the  base  so  as  to  be  urther  apart 
above  than  below;  color,  entirely  black  throughout,  with  a  green.sh  lustre  above, 
dS  Teath,  a  Iriang^lar  white  pa-xh  on  the  top  of  head,  the  base  extend^^^^^ 
between  the  posterior  outline  of  the  eye  and  reaching  forward  to  a  pomt  a  httle 
birond  the  posterior  line  of  the  bill,  the  outlines  rounded  lateralb^  and  anter.orbr  I 
^e  patch  is^eparated  from  the  eye  by  a  narrow  superciliary  '''trZ  widTof 
second  triangular  white  patch  beginning  on  the  nape  as  a  straight  Ime  the  w.dth  of 
Iheoirr  patch,  and  running  backwards  for  more  than  two  inches,  these  tnangular 
unaces  are  thus  base  to  base;  iris  yellowish-whita. 

•^  F LTfe  -Bill  as  long  as  that  of  the  male,  but  not  swollen  at  the  base  where  the 
.ides  approach  each  other  above,  the  feathers  of  forehead  do  not  extend  one-th.rd 
rdis'tance  from  base  to  tip  of  bill,  the  middle  of  nostril  not  qu.te  as  fer  ^^ 
middle  of  the  bill,  nostrils  linear,  acutely  pointed  anteriorly,  color  brown,  l^hter 
Tn  the  neck,  sides  and  beneath  the  under  surface  of  the  body  wh.t.sh ,  an  obscure 
whltUh  S^h  at  the  base  of  the  bUl,  and  another  on  the  side  of  the  head  behind 

^"uZh  of  male,  nineteen  inches;  wing,  nine  and  forty  one-hundredths,  taraus,  " 
one  anlsixty-three  one-hundredths,  commissure,  two  and  thirty-seven  one-hun- 

*"*Fl-On'«»d  near  ««coast  of  North  America,  quite  far  south  in  winter,  acci- 
dental  in  Europe. 

The  Surf  Duck,  or  "ButteibUl  Coot,"  as  it  is  usually 
called  on  the  coast,  is  equally  abundant  with  the  preceding. 
Like  all  the  Sea  Ddcks,  this  bird  is  an  expert  diver.  I  have 
followed  a  flock  of  Sea  Coc-  for  hours  in  a  small  yacht, 
witli  a»good  breeze,  and  have  been  unable  to  get  withm 


~-.--r.-j^:i'^:^s:-L.'eii'.t 


MtimtJim 


^ 


THE  SCOTER. 


521 


orly;  colore  black, 
■  on  nape  j  bill  red, 


889.    Nutt  Man., 
1.    lb.,  Birds  Am., 


le  head,  the  feathere 
I  the  posterior  border 
'  to  the  end  of  the 
B  straight  portion  of 
!  to  be  further  apart 
eenish  lustre  above, 
the  base  extending 
■d  to  a  point  a  Utile 
rally  and  anteriorly, 
ack  space;  there  is  a 
fht  line  the  width  of 
besi  these  triangular 

,t  the  base,  where  the 
not  extend  one-third 
jt  quite  as  far  as  the 
color  brown  i  lighter 
r  whitish;  an  obscure 
le  of  the  head  behind 

e-hundredths;  tarsus, 
;hirty-seven  one-hun- 

gouthin  winter;  acci- 


as  it  is  usually 
1  the  preceding, 
•t  diver.  I  have 
I  a  small  yacht, 
e  to  get  within 


g^mshot  of  them,  and  without  their  takmg  wing  even  a  that. 
A  soon  as  I  arrived  within  two  or  three  gunshots'  distance, 
the  whole  flock  sank  beneath  the  surface  like  so  many 
stones;  and,  swimming  under  water  for  almost  a  quarter 
of  Im  le,  appeared  at  the  surface  in  a  locality  where  I  east 
expecT  d  to  see  them:  sometimes  immediately  astern  of  my 
boat ;  at  others,  in  a  direction  at  right  angles  to  the  course 
which  I  supposed  they  had  taken. 

Audubon,  in  describing  a  nest  that  he  found  m  a  boggy 
marsh  near  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  says,— 

"The  nest  was  snugly  placed  amid  the  tall  leaves  of  a  bunch 
of  grass,  and  raised  fully  four  inches  above  ite  roots.    It  was 
entfrely  composed  of  withered  and  rotten  weeds,  the  former  betng 
circularly  arranged  over   the  latter;    producing  a  wel-rounded 
cavity,  the  borders  of  which  were  lined  with  the  ^own  of  t  e  b.d 
in  the  same  manner  as  the  Eider  Duck's  nest;  and  m  it  lay  five 
eggs,  which  were  two  inches  and  two  and  a  half  eighths  m  length. 
IfoLlinch  and  five-eighths  in  their  greatest  breadth.    They  were 
more  equally  rounded  at  both  ends  than  usual,  the  shell  perfectly 
smooth,  and  of  a  uniform  pale-yellowish  or  cream  color. 

OIDEMIA,  Flekiko. 

nail  broad,  occupying  the  ''^-f^^P^I^'^^^^^^.'i^'l^^^^^^^ 
the  middle  of  the  commissure;  feathers  of  tne  cnm  ruiiu  g 
nostrils;  color  black  with  or  without  small  patches  of  white. 

OIDEMIA  AMEBICAHA.-Swai'woB. 
The  Scoter. 

^„«,„i,ra,  Wilson.  ,^- O™-^"^- <|«*V«;;33«)  i,,.    ,6.,  Birds  Am.,  VI. 
Fuligula  Americana,  XuAvbon.    Om.  Biog.,  V.  lieoxM"-         > 

'.18*8)848.  Descbiftiok. 

MaU.-1.n  of  sixteen  feathers,  bill  much  swollen  on  the  ^'^^ ^'^}.^'^'^, 

feathers  at  the  base  of  bill  to  the  tip,  the  swelling  ai  o»  ,  ,        ^^^,^^ 

row  along  the  median  Une;  the  frontal  feathers  extend  slightly  forward  in  an  oDiuse 


522 


ORNITHOLOGY    AND   OOLOGY. 


point;  bill  of  female  not  very  dissimilar,  lacking  the  .welling  at  the  base;  color 
^tirely  black  all  over,  without  any  white,  bill  black  along  the  edges  and  t.p;  the 
BWoUen  basal  portion  red  to  beyond  the  nostrils.  ^       ^  .       „,  v„hv 

/'mate.-  Brown;  lighter  on  sides  of  head,  throat,  and  under  surface  of  body, 
where  the  feathers  have  each  an  obscure  dusky  spot. 

Length,  twenty-three  and  eighty  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  nine  and  twenty 
one-hundrJdths;  tarsus,  one  and  seventy-eight  one-hundredths;  commissure,  two 
and  fourteen  one-hundredths  inches. 

This  species  is  also  known  on  the  coast  by  the  name  of 
Coot.  It  is  far  less  abundant  than  the  other,  but  has  all 
the  habits  of  that  bird.  It  also  associates  with  it,  and  is  a 
very  expert  diver ;  sinking  beneath  the  surface  of  the  water, 
at  the  flash  of  a  gun,  before  the  shot  reaches  it.  I  know 
nothing  of  its  breeding  habits,  and  have  no  eggs  by  me  for 
description. 

SOMATERIA,  Lbach. 

Hamauria,  Leach,  in  Fleming's  Philos.  Zool.  (1822).  (Tj-pe  ^"« '""'"ff"' i^;] 
Bill  much  compressed,  tapering  to  the  tip;  the  nail  enormously  large,  ""^  f«™>"8 
the  terminal  porUon  of  the  bill,  and  much  decurved,  the  feathers  of  fo^head 
advancing  forward  in  an  acute  long  point,  separating  on  each  side  a  fronUl  ex  en- 
Bion  or  linear  process,  or  the  feathers  of  the  cheek  may  be  said  to  ex  end  a 
onsid  rable  dis'tance  ;iong  the  commissural  edge  of  the  bill;  '-'"  «  "^ 
anterior  to  the  middle  of  the  commissure;  tail  rather  pointed,  but  short,  of  fourteen 
feathers. 

80MATEMA  MOLIISSIMA.  —  £««*• 
The  Eider  Duok. 

^n«s«u,ttis«W,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  VIIMlSU)  122 

Fidigvla  (Somateria)  mofJfsrinw,  Bonaparte.    Syn.  (1828),  888.    Nntt  Man.,  ii. 

^'''fU^  n^Umma,  Audubon.    Cm.  Biog.,  HL  (1885)  844,  V.  611.    Ih.,  Binl. 

Am.,  VL  (1848)  849. 

Description. 

Tail  of  fourteen  feathers;  prevailing  color  white;  the  under  surface  and  sides  of 
body  hinder  part  of  back,  rump,  and  tail,  black;  wings  white  on  both  surfaces, 
ScL  he  quills,  which  a;  black;  narrow  margin  inferiorly  of  the  «1  process 
of  b  nand  tie  fo^head  violet-black,  this  color  bifurcating  opposite  the  middle  of  the 
of  bill  ana  tne  I  ^^^^^  ^^  ^^^  ^^^  ^^,^^  ^^jend- 

n^ent  emerald-green;  the  interspace  white;  ins  brown.  „u..  .„ 

Ungth,  twenty-six  inches,  wing,  eleven  and  twenty-four  one-hundredths;  t^- 
.n,,  one  and  eighfy-two  one-hundredths,  commissure,  two  and  fifty-three  one-hun- 
dredtbs  inches. 


'L_ 


L.>iii»>iii;i*ii'i'nii>«*i'" 


THE  KING   EIDEB. 


628 


ing  at  the  base;  color 
the  edges  and  tip ;  the 

under  surface  of  body, 

■wing,  nine  and  twenty 
dths;  commissure,  two 


t  by  the  name  of 
ithcr,  but  has  all 
with  it,  and  is  a 
face  of  the  water, 
ches  it.  I  know 
)  eggs  by  me  for 


Pj-pe  Anas  mollUsima,  L.) 
lously  large,  and  forming 
the  feathers  of  forehead 
;ch  side  a  frontal  exten- 
ay  be  said  to  extend  a 
le  bill;  nostrils  situated 
5d,  but  short,  of  fourteen 


ich. 

28),  888.    Nutt  Man.,  II. 
)844;V.  611.    7*.,  Birds 


This  is  another  of  our  Sea  Ducks  that  is  very  abundant 
in  the  bays  and  inlets  of  our  coast  during  the  fall  and  wai- 
ter months,  and  until  April  in  the  sprmg. 

The  history  of  its 
habits  and  distri- 
bution is  so  well 
known,  that  any  ac- 
count here  is  hard- 
ly needed. 

It  breeds  in  abun-  "s 
dance  in  Labrador  "g 
and  other  northern 
portions  of  the  con- 
tinent,  and  a  few  pass  the  season  of  incubation  on  the 
islands  in  the  Bay  of  Fundy ;  this  being  the  nearest  point 
to  our  coast  that  it  breeds  in  at  present,  although  it  is  said 
to  have  formerly  reared  its  young  on  the  islands  off  Cape 
Ann  in  Mossachusetts,  and  off  the  coast  of  Maine 

The  nest  is  placed  on  the  ground  beneath  the  shelter  ol 
a  low  bush  or  thick  bunch  of  weeds  or  grass.     It  is  con- 
structed, first,  of  a  thin  layer  of  grasses  and  weeds,  on 
which  the  female  deposits  a  thick  layer  of  down,  which  she 
pulls  from  her  breast.    This  is  deeply  hollowed ;  and  in  this 
warm  receptacle,  the  eggs,  from  six  to  eight  or  ten  m  num- 
ber, are  deposited.    These  are  of  a  dirty  pale-green  color 
and  their  form  is  varied  from  ovate  to  a  sharply  pointed 
ovoidal.    Their  dimensions  vary  from  3.22  by  2.10  inches 
to  2.82  by  1.98  inch. 


under  surface  and  sides  of 
8  white  on  both  surfaces, 
orly  of  the  frontal  process 
opposite  the  middle  of  the 
le  nape,  the  color  extend- 
e  black  glossed  with  trans- 

-four  one-hundredths;  tar- 
o  and  fifty-three  one-hun- 


SOMATEEIA  8PECTABIUS.— XeacA. 
The  King  Eider. 

FuUgvia  (Somotena)  ipectaW/i*,  Bonaparte.    Syn.  (1828),  889.    Nutt  Man., 
"fitSla^ec«a«/«,  Audubon.    Om.  Biog..  HI- (1836)  623.    ii..  Birds  Am..  VI. 
,'1843)  847. 


524 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


DMCRimON. 

H„^v  ,nd  Wins,  black;  tho  portion  anterior  to  the  .houlder  joint,  interscapular 

Body  and  win««  ^[^'"''\J  y^^^     the  jugiilum  with  a  creamy  tinge;  a 

region  in  part,  mon   "^  ""  ^Vnrlcercr^f  tl     WU  aid  their  interspace,  ^mall  «pac6 

narrow  borderto  to  fro^uproce.^0^^^^^  black,  top  of  head  and  nape 

u^  h  Xht  y  llted  w'^^h  black,  middle  wing  cover...  tips  of  .econdarie., 
bh..«h-aHh,  '•«'''  y  77';  r^  f  ^f  ^i  ^ith  a  patch  on  each  »ide  of  tho  run.p, 
Sri  7tl  ;"old"S  tn.p^ent  emeWeen,  the  .eapular.  have 

''\'en:!:h'S.ytne  anTfi«y  one-hundredth,  inche.,  wing,  ten  and  .eventy  ono. 
hunShirt-u:  one  and'eighty-aix  one-hundredth.,  con>mi«ure,  two  and 
fifty-three  one-hundredths  inches. 

The  King  Eider  is  a  rare  species  on  our  coast  in  the 
winter  months.  It  is  a  more  northern  species  than  the  pr^ 
ceding,  and  Boldom  reaches  as  far  south  as  the  coast  of 
Massachusetts.  It  is  of  similar  habits  with  the  other  Sea 
Ducks,  and  breeds  in  tlie  most  northern  sections  of  the 
country.  The  eggs  found  by  Captain  James  Clarlc  Ross 
R.N.,  measure  2f  inches  by  If,  have  a  smooth  shell,  and  aie 
of  a  uniform  dull-greenish  color. 


Sub-Family  Erismatukin^. 


The  most  prominent  character  of  the  Erumatnrin^  h  found  in  be  veiy  rigid  tail 
not  found  in  the  other  sub-famihes. 


ERISMATURA,  Bonapartk. 

j^b^rvrttrhirit'r^^^^^^^^ 

,  »  „X  of  WU  running  back  on  the  forehead  some  distance,  farther  than  the 

til  of  nail  In  from  above  very  narrow  and  linear;  bent  abruptly  downwards  and 
taon  of  na.l  »^en  drom  ^  ^^^  ^^^^^^.  ^^^.  ^^^  ^^^^^ 

'J:S;  Ir   tan  -id  t^e  long  feet,   tail  very  stiff,  of  eighteen  feathers; 
Tetv^el  above  and  ^^>o-ery  much  abb.vlat^^^^^^^^ 

rr:r^rr;eb^T;ire^^^^^^^^^^ 


SmMMmUasmm-'iri  n  ninwmjiMn.v..i-*»-«-"'-— - 


THE  RUDDY  DUCK. 


525 


joint,  intertcapiilar 
I  a  creamy  tinga;  a 
rupace;  nmall  npaee 

of  head  and  najie 
tips  of  (tccondariex, 
h  side  of  tli«  rump, 

the  scapulars  have 

en  and  seventy  one- 
mmissure,  two  and 


p  coast  in  the 
8  than  the  pre- 
s  the  coast  of 
the  other  Sea 
sections  of  the 
68  Clark  Ross, 
h  shell,  and  are 


a  In  he  very  rigid  tail 

1  greater  portion  of  the 

the  bill  in  Eritmatura 


EBISMATUBA    EUBIDA.  -  BmaparU. 
The  Ruddy  Duck;  Dippw  Duck. 

Ann»  r,J,ida,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  VIU.  (^"*j;;;- "%«,. 
AnaXFuWjula)  rubi,la,  Bonaparte     Obs.  W  1  .     «25,,  268. 

,V.>M«V--)  r^^'  ^;'J      A^U    S   r-Aud.  om.  Bio...  IV. 
Fuluiut'i  rubuln,  Swainson.    F.  Uor.  Am.,  u.  ^looi; 

(1838)320.     /ft-»-'«A'"-V'-<Tl'?«ao, 
i;„-,m<Kttra  ru6Wa,  Bonaparte.    List  (1838). 

Descbiption. 

blaclc ;  iris  hazel.  .    .     .       j  ^i„„  coverts  finely 

the  commissure.  intnmintcd  by  the  occasional 

-ni:^\^:«wri^otheap..^.^j.^       „, 

Length,  sixteen  inches;  wmg,  five  »"Jj'f^'y°^^\;";„,.h„„dedths  inches. 

This  pretty  little  Sea  Duck  is  not  very  common  on  our 
coast.  ?t  visits  us  only  late  in  the  autumn  and  remams 
unt  early  spring,  frequenting  the  bays  and  inlets  along  the 
Z re  wtre'it  feeds  on  small  fish  and  mollusks,  winch  .t 
b^IL  by  diving.  It  is  so  expert  a  diver  that  «por  s-n 
recognize  it  by  the  name  of  "  Ruddy  Diver  and  Dipper , 
and  all  attest  to  the  difficulty  with  which  it  is  shot. 


d  bent  upwards;  upper 
istance,  farther  than  the 
I  bill,  rather  small ;  por- 
bruptly  downwards  and 
urface;  tarsi  very  short, 
r,  of  eighteen  feathers; 
i  to  expose  the  greater 
ry  large,  and  channelled 
acurved  at  the  end. 


Sub-Family  Uznaisx.-Thc  ShtUraka. 

taU  feathers  eighteen  in  North-American  species. 


r~ 


4i 


626 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


Th6  Mernina,  or  FUhIng  Duckn,  are  represented  in  the  United  Stale*  by  three 
well-CBtobliniied  upocioii,  placed  by  modem  «yttematl«U  In  m  many  genern.  Two 
<rf  th«w,  however,  arc  to  nearly  alike  that  I  prefer  to  conMder  thi^ri-  *m  Uie  name!  the 
tjjird  la  lufflciently  diitinct. 


MERGUS,  Li»!i«u8. 

ifergui,  LiNN.eus,  Sy«t.  Nat.  (1735).    (Type  M.  cttoi-,  L.) 

Bill  longer  than  the  head,  montly  red;  lerrationa  conical,  acute,  recnrvodi  cre«t 

occipital,  pointed,  or  .Ippressed;  Ursm  about  two-thirds  the  middle  toe;  Uil  about 

half  the  length  of  wing». 


WERaUS    SSBBATOk.  —  f.mnaiiM. 

The  Red-breuted  Uergaoier. 

Mergiu  ttrrator,  Linnteus.    Syst.  Nut.,  I.  (1768)  208.     WIM.  Am.  Cm.,  VIIT. 

(1814)  81.    Nutt.  Man.,  11.  (1834)  463.    Aud.  Orn.  Blog.,  V.  (1839)  83.    lb..  Birds 

Am.,  VL  (1843)  896. 

Descbiption. 

Feathers  of  the  forehead  extending  on  the  bill  in  a  short  obtiiMs  angle,  and  fall- 
ing far  short  of  the  end  of  those  on  the  sides;  the  outline  of  the  latter  sloping  rapidly 
forwards,  and  reaching  half-way  from  the  posterior  end  of  the  lower  edge  of  bill  to 
the  nostrils,  and  far  beyond  those  on  the  side  of  lower  jaw;  nostrils  narrow,  pos- 
terior; their  posterior  outline  opposite  the  end  of  basal  third  of  commissure. 

Malf. Head  with  conspicuous  pointed  occipital  crest;  liead  and  upper  part  of 

neck,  all  around,  dark-green;  under  parts  reddish-while  ;  jugulum  redilish-brown, 
streaked  with  black ;  sides  conspicuously  barred  transversely  with  fine  lines  of  black ; 
feathers  anterior  to  wing  while,  margined  wil'j  I  lack;  white  of  wing  crossed  by  two 
bars  of  black ;  iris  red. 

/'enw/e.  —  Head  with  compressed  occipital  crest;  chestnut-brown;  body  above 
ash;  beneath  reddish-white;  the  black  at  base  of  secondaries  exposed;  outer  tertials 
white,  edged  with  black. 

Length,  twenty-three  and  twenty-five  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  eight  and 
sixty  one-hundredths;  tarsus,  one  and  eighty  one-hundredths;  commissure,  two 
and  seventy-six  one-hundredths  inches. 

JfnA.  — Whole  of  North  America  aud  Europe. 

This  species  is  quite  abundant  on  our  coast  in  the  autumn 
and  winter  months.  It  does  not  appfear  to  be  gregarious  to 
a  great  extent ;  for  seldom  more  than  three  or  four  individu- 
als are  observed  together.  It  is  an  expert  diver,  swimming 
to  a  great  distancn  beneath  the  water  at  the  least  alarm, 
and,  when  appearing  at  the  surface,  usually  only  thrusting 
its  head  out  to  reconnoitre.  I  have  seen  it  swimming,  with 
only  the  bill  and  upper  part  of  its  head  above  water,  in  the 


jjniM-rrtmiiiirlii&iiiiia'liailF'-'™''"'- 


THE   aOOSANDEB. 


527 


Unit«<]  StatM  by  thra* 
u  many  ffenern.  Two 
•  thl<iii  iM  tlia  mime:  tba 


L.) 

1,  acute,  recurved ;  crest 

e  middle  toe;  uil  about 


WIM.  Am.  Om.,  VTII. 
r.  (1839)  93.    lb.,  Birdi 


:  obtUM  angle,  and  fall- 
the  latter  filopini;  rapidly 
the  luwor  edge  of  l)ill  to 

iw;  nostrils  narrow,  pos- 

l  of  oomniissure. 

licad  and  upper  part  of 
jugulum  reddish-brown, 

y  with  fine  lines  nf  black  ; 

0  of  wing  crofjied  by  two 

tnut-brown;  body  above 
es  exposed ;  outer  tertials 

inches;  winp;,  eight  and 
redths;   commissure,  two 


>ast  in  the  autumn 
:o  be  gregarious  to 
36  or  four  individu- 
■t  diver,  swimming 
it  the  least  alarm, 
ally  only  thrusting 
it  swimming,  with 
,bove  water,  in  the 


wakp  of  a  boat  from  which  it  had  boon  wounded :  and  it 
actually  followed  for  a  considcrablo  distance  before  it  was 
discovered.  I  have  noticed,  in  other  Sea  Ducks,  this  trait 
of  following  behind  a  boat,  and  conclude  that  it  is  done  for 

concealment.  ,     .     xt       w 

1  am  not  aware  that  this  fipocios  breeds  m  New  Lug- 
land.  It  breeds  in  localities  in  the  same  latitude  with 
tlio  most  northern  sections  of  these  States;  but  I  am 
inclined  to  think  that  it  is  less  of  a  southern  species  than 

the  succeeding. 

It  is  described  as  selecting  for  its  nesting-place  a  small 
island,  usually  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  sea,  sometimes 
in  the  interior.     "  The  nest  is  very  large ;  at  times  raised 
seven  or  eight  inches  on  the  top  of  a  bed  of  all  the  dead 
weeds  which   the   bird   can   gather  in   the  neighborhood. 
Properly  speaking,  the  real  nest,  however,  is  not  larger 
than  that  of  the  Dusky  Duck,  and  is  rather  neatly  formed 
externally  of  fibrous  roots,  and  lined  round  the  edges  with 
the  down  of  the  bird."     There  are  usually  about  eleven 
eggs.     These  are  generally  nearly  oval  in  shape,  sometimes 
ovoidal.     They  are  of  a  pale  yellowish-drab  color,  much 
darker  than  those  of  the  Sheldrake.     They  vary  in  dimen- 
sions from  2.63  by  1.82  inch  to  2.48  by  1.75  inch. 

MEBOtlS    AMEH1CAND3.  —  Custin. 
The  Qoosander;  Sheldrake;  Fish  Duck. 

i^,r,««.en,.«.er.  Wilson.  ^- O-' ^f'/""' ««.  as'Si  SsT"  ""  ^""' 
460.    And.  Orn.  Biog  .  IV.  (183.    261.     /A.,  Birds  Am.,  VI.  (1843)  387. 

Merytu  Amiricanut,  Cassin.    IT.  A.  N.  So.  (1853),  187. 

Description. 

Feathors  of  the  forehead  extending  on  the  "-ill  in  an  acute  angle  for  half  the  d* 
,an<-e  between  tho,e  on  the  sides  and  the  nostra ;  outline  of  those  on  the  s.des  nearly 
vertical,  and  reaching  only  a  little  beyond  the  ^eginnrng  of  lower  edge  of  Ml,  but  as 
far  as  those  on  the  side  of  lower  jaw;  nostrU  hrge,  far  forward,  its  middle  opposite 

Uie  middle  of  tlic  ( ..mmissure.  ,         ^  „p  k.^It 

3Me._  Head  ^^•ithout  conspicuous  crest:  head  and  neck  green;  ff^P^^  of  back 
black;  beneath  salmon^olorj  wings  mostly  -bite,  crossed  by  one  band  of  black: 
udea  scarcely  barred  transversely;  iris  carmine. 


TiWWraajgtssSEWS' 


mmm 


• 


628 


OBNITUOLOOY   AND  OOLOGY. 


f«»wfa.  — Head  with  a  compromie.l  occipital  cro»tj  head  and  neck  che«tnut, 
above  «.l.yi  beiu-atl.  .alnmn.  olormli  wl.ite  nf  Kreat«r  coverU  with  a  terminal  bar 
ot  u.hy  (.ometlme.  wa..ti«K)i  tha  black  of  ba.e  of  Mcond»rl~  entirely  concealedl 

outer  tcrtlalu  ash.  ,.     ■      j        .    « 

Head  without  connpiruoua  crc.t.  thouRh  one  U  vUible  In  life.  Head  and  most  of 
neck  all  round  very  dark  Kreen;  re.t  of  n.'ck  and  the  body  ^onfrnlly,  exc-pt  the 
upper  part,  creamy-white,  deepening  to  .a!in..n-red  beneath.  Lower  part  ol  back, 
rump,  and  tall  feather.,  plurabeou.i  forepart  of  b»ck,  Interscapular  region,  and  inner 

icapular*,  black.  ,  ^  

LnKtb,  twenty-six  and  fifty  one-hundredtha  Inchea;  wlnff,  eleven;  tarsn«,  ont 
and  eighty-four  onc-hundredtha ;  commUaiire,  two  and  ninety  <vie-hundredth.s  Inches. 

Although  this  species  is  found  on  our  coast  through  the 
autumn  and  winter  months,  whore  it  has  all  the  habits  of 
the  other  Sea  Ducks,  it  breeds  in  the  neighborhood  of  fresh- 
water lakes  and  streams  far  in  the  interior.  It  is  one  of 
the  most  abundant  summer  residents  in  the  lake  region 
of  Northern  Maine,  and  about  the  Umbagog  Lakes  aud  Rich- 
ardson Lakes  it  is  the  most  common  Duck. 

There,  in  the  top  of  some  tall  stump,  or  in  a  high  forked 
branch  of  a  dead  pine,  it  builds  its  nest.    In  many  localities 
ou  the  borders  of  these  lakes,  the  spring  inundations  or 
some  other  causes  have  destroyed  whole  acres  of  gigantic 
hemlocks,  which,  standing  for  years,  become,  in  consequence 
of  the  bark  falling  off,  porfeclly  smooth  and  difficult  of 
ascent.    When  such  trees  are  broken  at  the  height  of  thirty 
or  forty  feet  from  the  ground,  leaving  a  jagged  top,  no  better 
nesting-place  can  be  found  ;  because  it  not  only  secures  the 
bird  and  eggs  from  the  attacks  of  predaceous  animals,  but 
it  guarantees  to  tho  nest  a  perfect  security  from  any  inunda- 
tions that  may  arise.    This  nest  is  built  of  leaves,  moss,  and 
pieces  of  grass,  which  are  arranged  in  a  tieep  layer,  on  which 
a  thin  covering  of  down  from  th  .  breast  of  the  bird  is  placed. 
This  is  hollowed  to  the  depth  of  two  or  three  inches,  and  it 
is  ready  for  the  eggs.    Those  are  from  seven  to  twelve  in 
number.    Their  form  is  almost  always  exactly  oval.    Their 
color  is  a  pale  creamy-white ;  sometimes  a  little  darker, 
almost  a  very  pale  buff.    They  vary  in  dimensions  from 
2.80  by  1.80  inch  (Milltown,  Me.)  to  2.50  by  1.70  inch. 


H 


'^-"''f'''^'''^iiiiiiii1iriiiWliiifflf-- 


THK   UOODKU   MKUQANSER. 


629 


ami  neck  clientnut, 
with  >  tenniiinl  Imr 
»  nnlirely  coiicimluJ ; 

I.  lload  and  moFit  of 
(:ciiernlly,  cxcvpt  tlia 
l,ow«r  port  of  back, 
ular  region,  and  innur 

U,  eleven  i  tar«u«,  one 
:ie-hundredtlu  inches. 

list  through  the 
ill  tho  habits  of 
orhood  of  fresh- 
ir.  It  is  OHO  of 
the  lake  region 
Lakes  aiid  Rich- 

in  a  high  forked 
I  many  localities 
inundations  or 
,cres  of  gigantic 
),  in  consequence 
and  difficult  of 
)  height  of  thirty 
;ed  top,  no  better 
only  secures  the 
lous  animals,  but 
from  any  inunda- 
leaves,  moss,  and 
jp  layer,  on  which 
he  bird  is  placed. 
:ee  inches,  and  it 
even  to  twelve  in 
ictly  oval.    Their 
I  a  little  darker, 
dimensions  from 
I  by  1.70  inch. 


L0PH0DYTE8,  Umohart. 

Lophodytti,  lUiciUBT,  Syit.  At.  (1882). 

Mill  •horter  than  the  head,  black;  aerratlona  compreaied,  low,  abort,  Iniorted 
obliquely  on  the  <fx^^^e  of  bill;  the  point  truncated,  and  not  recurved  nor  acute;  tail 
more  than  half  the  winK«i  Ur.i  short,  half  tha  feet;  head  with  a  much  coniprewed, 
vertical,  circular,  and  erect  crett. 

Uut  a  ainglo  ipeciet  of  thli  genua  if  known  to  naturalUta. 


tOPHODITES  OUCDIiLATUS.— iJeicAart 
The  Hoodad  Mercuftr. 

Mtrmu  cuaUlahu,  Linnaua.  Syit  Nat.,  I.  (1796)  JOT.  Wlla.  Am.  Om.,  VIII. 
19.  Nu«.  Man.,  It.  466.  Aud.  Om.  Blog.,  III.  (1886)  846;  V.  619.  Jb.,  Birds 
Am.,  VI.  (1843)402. 

lAiphodyta  eucullatu$,  Belchort.    Sysl.  Ar.  (1862). 

DEaOHll^lOM. 

TIeadwIth  an  elongated,  compressed,  semicircular  crest;  anterior  extremity  of 
nostril  reaching  not  quite  as  far  as  the  middle  of  commissure;  frontal  feathers  ex- 
tending nearly  a«  flir  as  half  the  distance  from  lateral  feathers  to  nostril;  Uie  latter 
much  beyond  the  fcalhers  on  side  of  lower  mandible;  bill  shorter  than  head. 

ATo^.  — Bill  black;  head,  neck,  and  back,  black;  under  parts  and  centre  of 
crest  white;  sides  chestnut-brown,  barred  witii  black;  white  anterior  to  the  wing, 
crossed  by  two  black  crescents;  lesser  coverts  gray;  white  speculum  with  a  basal 
and  median  black  bar;  black  tertials  streaked  centrally  with  white;  iris  yellow. 

/Vma/e.  — With  a  shorter  and  more  pointed  crest;  the  head  and  neck  reddish - 
brown;  the  back  without  pure-black;  the  sides  without  transverse  bars;  the  white 
of  wings  less  extended. 

Length,  seventeen  and  flf^y  one-hundredths  inches;  wing,  seven  and  ninety  one- 
hundrodths;  Ursus,  one  and  twenty  one-hundredths;  commissure,  one  and  ninetv 
eight  one-hundredths  inches. 

/Jab.  —  Whole  of  North  America. 

This  beautiful  bird  is  less  common  than  either  of  the 
other  Mergansers  on  our  coast  and  in  our  bays  and  inlets, 
in  autumn,  winter,  and  early  spring.  In  the  summer,  it 
resides  in  the  interior,  where  it  breeds  by  the  lakes  and 
other  bodies  of  fresh  water ;  building  its  nest  In  holes  in 
high  dead  trees,  or  on  the  tops  of  stubs,  thirty  or  forty  feet 
from  tho  ground,  exactly  like  the  Sheldrake.  The  eggs  are 
from  nine  to  twelve  or  fourteen  in  number,  usually  about 
ten.  They  are  of  a  clear-white  color,  although  their  surface 
is,  in  some  specimens,  stained  by  the  moisture  from  tho 

84 


T" 


m 


OBNITHOLOGY   AND   OOLOGY. 


feet  of  the  bird.    They  are  very  thick-s  lelled,  and   when 
Btruck  together,  sound  almost  like  balls  of  ivory.    They  are 
more  spherical  in  form  than  the  eggs  of  any  other  duck  that 
I  have  seen,  and  are  but  little  more  pointed  at  one  end  than 
at  the  other.     Their  dimensions  vary  from  2.30  by  1.16 
inches  (the  longest  and  narrowest  specimen  m  a  large  num- 
ber in  my  collection)  to  2.10  by  1.80  inches  (the  shortest 
and  broadest  specimen  in  the  same)  :  the  usual  size  is,  on 
the  average,  about  2.13  by  1.70  inches.    I  ^«^^^«'^*  ^^ 
that  any  nest  of  this  bird  has  been  found  south  of  Lake 

^  wSiie  nest  of  this  species  is  approached,  the  female 
remains  quiet,  and  flies  off  only  when  alarmed  by  b.ows  on 
the  trunk  of  the  tree  on  which  her  nest  is  buil  .     She  then 
flies  silently,  and  alights  in  the  lake,  near  which  the  nest  is 
usually  built,  and  watches  the  intruder  from  a  safe  distance, 
without  making  any  outcries  or  disturbance.    If  the  tree  is 
surrounded  by  undergrowth  so  thick  that  she  cannot  see  the 
intruder  from  the  water,  she  flies  silently  over  and  around 
him,  always  at  a  safe  distance.    The  male  never^shows  him- 
self on  such  occasions ;  and  I  think  it  likely  that  he  separates 
from  his  mate  at  the  commencement  of  the  period  of  in- 
cubation, and  remains  by  himself  until  the  young  are  able 
to  provide  for  themselves.  ^..   u-  a 

When  living  in  the  neighborhood  of  fresh  water,  this  bird 
has  many  of  the  habits  of  the  other  Mergansers,  and  then 
feeds  on  aquatic  insects  and  their  larvae,  and  is  an  expert 

fisher  and  diver.  _ 

When  the  female  is  suddenly  surprised,  while  with  her 
young  in  a  stream  or  pond,  she  gives  a  gutturnl.  chattenng 
cry  when  tlie  whole  brood  dives  and  swims  off  under  water 
to  the  shore,  where  they  conceal  themselves  in  the  aquatic 
herbage.  While  they  are  thus  retreating,  the  mother  simu- 
lating  lameness,  almost  exactly  like  some  of  the  shore-birds 
on  the  beach,  flutters  before  the  intruder,  using  every  arti- 
fice to  decoy  him  from  the  neighborhood  of  her  young, 


-jmtii 


iHii 


jMJitaMiiiifflaiww 


i. 


THE   HOODED   MERGANSER. 


531 


ed,  and,  when 
ory.  They  are 
)ther  duck  that 
It  one  end  than 
1  2.30  by  1.75 
in  a  large  num- 
8  (the  shortest 
isual  size  is,  on 
;  am  not  aware 
.  south  of  Lake 

ihed,  the  female 
led  by  blows  on 
)uilt.     She  then 
rhich  the  nest  is 
1  a  safe  distance, 
!.    If  the  tree  is 
le  cannot  see  the 
(ver  and  around 
lever  shows  him- 
that  he  separates 
the  period  of  in- 
5  young  are  able 

ih  water,  this  bird 
ansers,  and  then 
and  is  an  expert 

id,  while  with  her 
atturnl.  chattering 
IS  off  under  water 
Tea  in  the  aquatic 
,  the  mother  simu- 
of  the  shore-birds 
•,  using  every  arti- 
od  of  her  young, 


when  she  takes  wing,  and  flies  off.    If,  however,  she  have 
sufficient  notice  of  the  approach  of  a  person  before  he 
reaches  gunshot  she  swims  rapidly  off,  with  her  whole  brood 
paddUng  behind  her, 
until   she    turns    a 
point    or    neck    in 
the  pond  or  stream 
where  she  happens 
to  be,  when,  silently 
creeping  into  shore, 
she,  with  her  brood, 
hides  herself  in  the  ^ 
herbage  on  the  land 
until  the  danger  is 
past.     When  about  two-thirds   grown,  these  young  Mer- 
gansers, hke  the  young  of  most  of  the  other  fowls,  are 
excellent  eating.    They  are  called  "Flappers,"  because  of 
their  habit  of  flapping  their  wings  on  the  water  to  aid  their 
escape  from  pursuers. 

This  species,  in  passing  with  its  young  fron:  one  body  ot 
water  to  another,  often,  while  flying,  carries  them  sing  y  in 
its  mouth  ;  and  I  have  been  told,  that  even  after  it  has  been 
Bhot  and  has  fallen  to  the  ground,  it  not  unf^equently  holds 
the  chick.     Mr.  George  A.  Boardman  informs  me  that  the 
female  of  the  Summer  Duck  often  encroaches  on  the  nest 
of  this  Merganser ;  and  he  once  witnessed  an  attempt  of  the 
lacter  to  drive  the  other  from  her  domicile,  of  which  she 
had  taken  possession,  and  in  which  she  was  engaged  in  the 
duties  of  incubation.     He  watched  them,  and  noticed,  that, 
when  the  Wood-aack  left  the  nest,  the  Merganser  took 
possession  of  it;  and,  when  she  left  it,  the  other  did  the 
same. 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOOT. 


SUB-ORDEE   GAVI^. 


I 


'!! 


FiMILT  SOLIDS.     TB.  6»»NET.. 

rr:«  i"r- .ul-^; '- «-.  -"  -  — ■ 

STJLA,  Bbissos. 

8^,  BmssoN,  Omith.  (1760).    ^^y^^^^'^^ZiZZ:!,  with  the  sides  com- 

«hcr  longer  than  the  ^e^J  J"  S^  I^   "  ^^^^^        ,„,,„g  edges  serrated 

pressed,  grooved  near  the  *'?<  ^^'^^  "  ;J  ^ptiW      wings  lengthened,  tail  rather 

irregularly;  nostrils  basal  ^"^^^^  ^^^/^^    t^'^^iong,  and  joined  together  by 

loni and  much  graduated:  tars,  "^^p;' »"™;,t,d ,  Jur  sac  rather  moderate. 

SULA  BASSAliIA.-Bm»o«. 
The  Common  Gaimet;  Solan  Goose. 

PeZecan.«  lassan^,  Linn»«s.   ^r^^^^^^'^^^^^^^^^  Biog..  IV.  (1838)  m 

Sula  boMann,  Nuttall.    Man.,  11.  (W*) 
n..  Birds  Am.,  VII.  (1844)  44. 

»,-fo.  hill  bluish-crav,  bare  space  around  the  eye 
General  color  of  the  plumage  ^'^Z^' ,^™  J,f  bl"a  k,  first  longest. 

.Hd  on  the  throat  hlackish-hlue ,  P^J^^a^;'  s  white  the  head  and  hind  neck 
^d„ft.-The  color  of  the  p  umage  ge^ra  /  ^^_^,^^^.  ^^^^,  ^^ite  for 

being  of  a  fine  buff-yellow,  f'\*;/,,^~eV«daahy  becoming dark-b^^^^^^ 

about  two-thirds  their  1-^!^. '™;^,*^';^^^^^^^  the  upper  mandible  black.sh- 

biU  pale  bluish-gray,  greenish  at  the  base  t  ^^^  ^^^^^^  ^^  ^^^  ^j^^^  ^ 

Wue,  hare  space  in  the  ^^P'^J' ^'^^''''^''Z^^,^,  blackish-brown,  the  lines  of 
blackish-blue,  iris  white;  tars,,  t°««'  f"^  ^''^W^  The  female  resembles  the 
Ltell«  on  the  tarsi  and  toes  Sj^- ;;^;\tT  ,he  head,  neck,  and  upper  p.umag, 
„,ale,  but  is  -trif  ter  JnaVng  wfth  a  triangular  white  spot;  und«  plumage 


II 


|1 


1 


THE  COMMON  OANNET. 


588 


I. 


A.NNRT8. 

•ong,  tapering  to  the  point, 
wings  very  long!  tail  long 
gular  Bao  moderate. 


ssanui.) 

he  base,  with  the  sides  com- 
a,  the  cutting  edges  serrated 
nngs  lengthened;  tail  rather 
long,  and  joined  together  by 
gular  sac  rather  moderate. 
Dcky  islands,  where  they  con- 
luction,  at  other  times  migrat- 
,  and  long-continued. 

son. 

GOOBB. 

d.Om.Biog.,  IV.  (1888)223. 


L.i,b'th,  thirty-eight  inches;  wing,  nineteen  and  fifty  one-hundredths,  tarsi,  two, 
and  twenty-five  one-hundredths;  tail,  ten  inches. 

Hob.  -  Atlantic  coast,  from  Labrador  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  ,     .  ,     . 

The  Gannet  breeds  in  almost  incredible  numbers  on  some  of  the  rocky  islands 
near  the  coast  of  Labrador.  When  the  breeding  season  is  over,  it  wanders  as  far 
south  as  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.,  Its  mode  of  flight  is  powerfhl,  and  at  times  graceful 
Its  food  consists  of  fish,  prin,  ip*lly  herrings;  these  are  obtained  by  plunging  from 
on  high,  often  remaining  under  water  for  a  minute  or  more  at  a  time. 

THIS  species  is  quite  common  on  our  coast  in  the  autumn 
and  spring,  and  through  the  greater  part  of  the  winter. 
Audubon,  in  describing  its  breeding  habits,  says :  — 

«  The  newly  finished  nest  of  this  bird  is  fully  two  feet  high,  and 
quite  as  broad  externally.    It  is  composed  of  seaweeds  and  mari- 
time grasses,  the  f   mer  being  at  times  brought  from  considerable 
distances.     Thus,  the  Gannets  breeding  on  the  rocks  m  the  Gulf  of 
St   Lawrence  carry  weeds  from  the  Magdalene  Islands,  whicb  are 
about  thirty  miles  distant.    The  grasses  are  pulled  or  dug  up  from 
the  surface  of  the  breeding-place  itself,  often  in  great  clods,  con- 
sisting of  roote   and   earth,   and  leaving  holes  ■  not  unlike   the 
entrances  to  the  burrows  of  the  Puffin.     The  nests,  like  those  of 
Cormorants,  are  enlarged  or  repaired  annually.     The  single  egg, 
of  a  rather  elongrted  oval  form,  averages  3^  inches  in  length, 
by   2   inches  in  its  greatest   breadth;   and  is   covered  with   an 
irregular  roughish  coating  of  white  calcareous  matter,  which,  on 
being  scraped  oflF,  leavos  exposed  the  pale  greenish-blue  tint  of  the 
und'ir  surface." 


;ray;  bare  space  around  the  eye 
-black,  first  longest, 
white,  the  head  and  hind  neck 
rownish-black;  shafts  white  for 
rradualiy  becoming  dark-brown ; 
on  tlie  upper  mandible  blackish- 
down  the  centre  of  the  throat 
>8,  blBckisb-brown;  the  lines  of 
rhite.    The  female  resembles  the 
.  head,  neck,  and  upper  plumage 
s;ular  white  spot;  under  plumage 
ti  grayish-brown. 


m 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


Family  GRACULlDiE.    The  Cormorants. 

Bill  rather  moderate,  culmen  coneave,  tip  much  hooked  and  acute;  nostriU  not 
perceptibte;  wings  moderate  and  pointed;  tail  rather  short  and  rounded;  tar^^ 
rrtTtoes  long  and  all  joined  by  full  webs,  gular  sac  capable  of  cous.derablo 
expansion. 

GRACULUS,  LiNNiKUS. 

Graculu.,  Um^vs,  Syst.  Nat.  (1786).    (Type  Pehcanus  <""•»"'  L.) 
Bill  rather  slender,  of  moderate  length,  with  the  culmen  concave  hooked  at  the 
♦in  thesTdes  compres  ed  and  grooved;  nostrils  not  visible  in  the  adult;  wmgs  mod- 
X  fngnd  potted,  .ecZ  and  third  primaries  longest,  tail  -d-te-d 
graduated  at  the  end;  tarsi  short  and  much  compressed;  toes  ^-K -Y!!    -S 
a  leathery  pouch  at  the  base  of  the  lower  mandible,  which  can  be  much  distended. 

ThesTwrds  exist  abundantly  in  all  parts  of  the  globe.  They  are  mostly  found 
on  the  Icoast,  breeding  on  rocky  ledges  difficult  of  access,  and  also  on  trees. 
C  arre™ingly  expert  in  catching  flsh,  being  very  active  m  the  water,  and 
capable  of  remaining  under  its  surface  for  a  great  length  of  Ume. 

GRACDIitrS    CAEBO.— Gray. 
The  Common  Cormorant. 

Phalacroccax  carbo,  Nuttall.    Man.,  IL  (1834)  4T9.     Aud.  Cm.  Biog.,  IH. 
(1835)458.     /i..  Birds  Am.,  VL  (1843)  412. 
GraculuB  carbc,  Gray.    Gen.  of  Birds  (1845). 

Description. 

Bluish-black,  feathers  on  middle  of  occiput  and  hind  neck  elongated,  gular  sac 
Blmsh  blacK,  ^^^^  ^^  ^j^.^^.  j.^^^_.  ^^^^^^^  „„  ^^e  head 

2l;?wh"a  path  of  white  on  the  sides,  third  primaiy  longest,  tail  of  four- 

'""^S'!lHumage  in  general  black,  glossed  with  greenish-blue ,  the  feathei.  of  the 
tt  ,nd  sides  of  the  back  and  wing  coverU  are  dark-ash,  with  bronzed  reflec- 
"'''''''^thnlerwHrieenish-black,  primaries  and  tail  feathers  grayish-black. 
'Z:::^^^^-^^  «P-  around  the  eye  dull-olive,  under  the  eye  .d, 
he  g^  sL  yellow,  encircling  ti.e  lower  part  of  which  .s  a  ''--"''f  "^/•"'^l 
numerTs  linear  filamentous  white  feathers  are  distril-ied  over  the  head  and  neck, 
numerous  unear  um  of  elongated  linear  white  feathers,  upper  man- 

on  the  s,de,  over  he  t^^.  ^J^f  It^Lhite,  lower  dusky  yellowish-white  at 
rrrtit  bSs:t-,1y:uIs  with  dusky  margins,  tarsi,  feet,  and  claws 

""ttbllltstrong  and  powerful,  the  ridge  is  smooth,  but  the  sides  of  both  mandi- 

'^TenXthiny-seven  inches,  wing,fourteen,  biU,th^^^ 
Uil,  six  and  fifty  one-hundredths  mches. 


THE  DOUBLE-CRESTED  CORMORANT. 


635 


0RANT8. 

id  acute;  nostrils  not 
t  and  rounded;  tarsi 
pable  of  considerable 


carbo,  L.) 

oncave,  hooked  at  the 
the  adult;  wings  mod- 
;st;  tail  moderate  and 
I  long  and  full-webbed ; 
in  be  much  distended. 
They  are  mostly  found 
iss,  and  also  on  trees, 
ctive  in  the  water,  and 
ime. 


Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  III. 


!ck  elongated;  gular  sac 
lear  feathers  on  the  head 
ary  longest;  tail  of  four- 

i-blue;  the  feathers  of  the 
-ash,  with  bronzed  reflec- 
1  feathers  grayish-black, 
-olive,  under  the  eye  red ; 
is  a  broad  band  of  white ; 
over  the  head  and  neck; 
lite  feathers ;  upper  man- 
dusky  yellowish- white  at 
is;  tarsi,  feet,  and  claws 

it  the  sides  of  both  mandi- 

and  fifty  one-hundredths; 


The  female  resembles  the  male,  but  is  smaller.  ,„„,„.„ 

iZ  -Labrador,  and  along  the  coast  as  far  south  as  New  Jersey  in  wmter. 
?^;e  btds  labundant  on  the  coast  of  Labrador,  whore  large  numbers  assem- 
ble I'Curp^  of  reproduction,  forming  their  nests  upon  the  inaccessible  ledges 

"'  tSS;  of  flight  is  swift  and  strong.  Their  food  is  obtained  by  divmg  and 
pursuing  it  beneath  the  surface,  where  they  make  rapid  progress  by  the  aid  of  their 
wings. 

THIS  species  is  pretty  common  on  our  coast  in  the  latter 
part  of  autumn  and  durii  ,  the  winter.     It  is  not  gre- 
garious, but  is  seen  singly  or,  at  most,  in  pairs.    It  is  shy, 
and  difficult  of  approach,  and  seems  ever  on  the  alert  lor 
danger     The  Grand  Menan  is  the  most  southern  breeding- 
place  of  this  bird  in  our  neighborhood.     There  it  builds  a 
large  nest  of  seaweeds  on  shelves  of  steep  cliffs  or  in  crev 
ices  of  the  rocks.    The  eggs  are  usually  three  ux  number. 
They  are  of  a  bluish-green  color  which  is  covered,  over 
nearly  their  whole  surface,  with  a  calcareous  deposit.    1  aey 
are  of  an  elongated  ovate  form,  and  average  in  dimensions 
about  2.90  by  1.75  inch.    They  are,  in  their  various  sizes, 
impossible  of  identification  from  the  succeeding  species. 

GEACTJltJS   DILOPHUS.  — C'af. 
The  Double-crested  Cormorant. 
pnalacrccara^  dihphu,,  Nutfall.    Man.,  IL  (1834)  483.    Aud.  Om.Blog.,in. 
(1885)  420;  V.  (X839)  628.    lb.,  Birds  Am.,  VL  (1843)  423. 
Graculus  dilophtu,  Gray.    Gen.  of  Birds  (1845). 

Descmption. 
Greenish-black;  behind  each  eye  a  recurved  crest  of  loose  feather,,  gular  sac 

surftfi's  greenis'h-black,  the  feathers  of  the  upper  pa^  of Jlie^«f  •  ^^^Z 
cZ^  Lscapularies  and  tertiaries,  grayish-brown  or  dark-a«h,  he  ">«?">«  ^^ 
wh7cr;*greenish-black;  primaries  blackish-brown,  ligMer  on  the  mner  webs;  the 
Vlfrtark  eravish-brown;  tail  black,  as  are  also  the  shafts;  runmng  from 
ZuZJ^^efelt^^ot:^.^^  filamentous  feathers, -there  are  also  a  few  of 
fhe  sle  character  sparsely  distributed  over  the  neck ;  behind  each  eye  is  a  tuft  of 
mth!none  slender  feathers,  erect  and  curving  forwards,  bare  space  m  the  region 
^the3e!Xular  sac,  orange;  upper  mandible  blackish-brown  w.th  the  edges 
yeUoX  lower  yellow,'  marked  irregularly  with  du.ky,  iris  bnght-green:  legs, 
foet,  and  claws  black,  claw  of  the  nuddle  toe  pectmated. 


liBfri^ih'iWIfaTrtli^T^I-^-"'"'-'"™*'^ 


ggQ  OBNITHOLOOY   AND  OOLOGY. 

Length,  thlrty-three  Inche.,  wtag.  thirteen,  tail.  «x  and  .eventy-flve  one-hun- 
'"'^J- Atlantic  coast  from  Labrador  to  Carolina,  ft«  countrie.,  Pacific  coast 

Beacoast.    They  passea  m  grtai         „'i^.i„ --tended  front,  the    ndividuals  being 

:SnT^^:-.h!S:ntthe  effect  of /hich  waa  ^uliar  and  stHWng. - Gbokok 
W.  Lawbehoe. 

I  think  that  this  Bpecies  is  more  northern  in  its  habits 
than  the  preceding,  as  it  is  seldom  seen  on  the  coast  of  New 
Eland  except  fn  the  winter  months,  and  then  mdy   n 
smfll  numbers.    Unlike  vhe  preceding,  it  does  not  breed 
south  of  the  coast  of  Labrador ;  and,  in  nestmg,  does  not 
frequent  high  precipices,  but  prefers  low  rocky  '«1«^^«;  Jhe 
nest  is  similar  to  that  of  the  other :  and  the  eggs,     rt^ough 
averaging  smaller,  are  hardly  recogmzable  from  those  of 
the  Common  Cormorant;  an  ordinary  large  one  of  the 
present  being  of  similar  form  and  size  with  the  other. 


THE  8KUA-GULL8. 


687 


nd  Beventy-flve  on&-hun- 

r  countrie»i  Pacific  coast 

I  off  the  court  of  Labrador, 
aesU  on  the  surface  of  the 

B  to  the  Sooth,  along  our 
ch  other  frequently  during 
ant,  the  individuals  being 
ling  of  the  wings,  and  their 
ir  and  striking.  —  Geobob 

them  in  its  habits 
an  the  coast  of  New 
,  and  then  only  in 
,  it  does  not  breed 
a.  nesting,  does  not 
rocky  islands.  The 
1  the  eggs,  although 
;able  from  those  of 
y  large  one  of  the 
ffith  the  other. 


Familt  LARID^.    The  Gulls. 

Bill  generally  Shorter  than  thehead^str^Jhta^^^^^^^^^^ 

at  the  end;  nostril,  linear,  ''«»<l°^''f  •j;tSVrong,  and  covered  anteriorly 
wings  long  and  P^^-^j  j^^JJ^^^^^^^^^^^^  and  elevated, 

with  transverse  scales;  ^e*  ^""f  *^''°*"'.    .  ^.  ^^^„  tut  often  wander  to  great 
Birds  of  this  family  frequent  the  shor^  o   the  .^ean^u  ^^^.^  ^^^ 

autances  from  land;  they  «e.n^a^J^^^^^^ 

r:u7orrL^"erarals,  and  devour  the  young  and  eggs  of  some 
''^tLlZyTiaru,.  is  divisible  into  four  sub-famiUes,  with  the  following  char- 
acters:  —  ,.    ,  . ..x,  .  homv  covering,  distinct  from  the 

tip ;  body  robust;  tail  generally  even.  „™nine  in  the  basal  third  of 

''WKBMK^-Covenngof  billcontmuou^  ^^^^„„^^,  ,,U, 

thebill:  culmen  K-^»r 711?.' ^  IX  Sy  ^^''^d- 

body  rather  slend^,  ^^  ^^^  ^^^J'^rsed^ike'^  blade  of  a  knife,  lower 

,JZ:^Z^T^I  thl^Jobtuse,  bodyslender,  tail  forked. 


Sub-FamiUj  Lbstbidin^-  ^A*,  Skua-Guils  ;  the  J.ger,. 

Bill  strong  and  much  curved  -^l^^^^l'^Z'^llX^^r^ 

cere,  -'■^-^'^-^r^}  TlTZl:J^1.ZZTZ.  hemispheres.    There  are 

These  hardy  bi  Js  •»^«^' «>«  ^»';«^  ^^~  h  America.    They  are  piratical  in 

s^L:^;;::rr;:si.^nc^^^^ 
rofr;i%^=ey7ri^^^^^^^ 

STERCORARiUS,  Bbissoh. 

StercoraWw,  Brisfon.    Omithologie  (1760).  ^  ^^^ 

Bin  rather  strong,  •J-^-^^^'StotornTnltl;  wings  pointed,  first 
cere,  the  end  curved;  nostnhlmear.aja  mo      P«  ^^^^^  elongated,  Urd 

quill  longest;  tail  of  moderate  ^•'"f''  V*" '^^"Jgh.rp  and  much  curved;  feet 
strong,  and  covered  with  promment  soaks;  c  awB  sMrp  a 
S  webbed,  hind  toe  short,  and  but  litUe  elevated. 


#^ 


b88 


OBNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


186 


8TESC0EAEIUS   POMASIHUS.  —  Ttmminck. 
The  Pomarine  Skna. 
L«(r«iK«»arin«,Nuttall.    Man.,  II.  (1884)  816.     Aud.  Birds  Am..  VII.  (1844) 

DK8CBIPTIOK. 

Adult  -Front,  crown  of  the  head,  back,  wings,  and  tall,  blacki.h-hrown ;  ^des 
/,     tnart  of  he  neck  bright-yellow;  throat  and  entire  under  plumage  wh.te, 

S.atanTofrown    pots  extending  aero,  the  upper  part  of  the  breast,  side. 

with  a  bana  oi  orow      i  ^^^  ^^.j  f^^^y^^„  ^,,„e. 

and  •«''«!  ♦»'\.'^°^"'^j7i;te7an'l  feet  black;  the  middle  tail  feather, 
SC;:^^  rhtt  a;o:rt::Ues,  they  .re  rounded  at  the  end.  and  of 

^  trgS"lXa«e  of  the  upper  parts  blaekish^  of  the  lower 

graSSown  wUh  the  fLhers'of  the  abdomen  and  lower  tail  covert,  margmed 

quarters;  tarsus,  two  inches. 

THIS  species  is  not  uncommon  on  our  north-east  coast  in 
the  autumn  and  winter  months.    "  It  subsists  on  putrid 
and  other  animal  substances  thrown  up  by  the  sea,  and 
also  on  fish  and  other  mattexs  which  tlie  Gu  Is  disgorge 
wlien  pursued  by  it.    It  also  devours  the  eggs  of  sea-birds. 
It  breeds  in  the  Hudson's  Bay  country  and  other  northern 
localities;  nesting  "in  elevated  spots  in  the  marshes   or 
upon  rocks;  making  a  coarsely  interlaced  nest  of  the  sur- 
rounding moss  and  herbage ;   laying  two  or  three  very 
pointed  eggs,  of  a  grayish-olive,  marked  with  a  small  num- 
ber of  blackish  spots."  —  Nuttall. 

STEBCOHAEIUS  PAEASITinjS.  —  rmmtiK*. 

Tbe  Arotio  Skua. 

Lar^pcrasiHcu,,  Linn«us.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1766)  228 

Seercorarii«paro«<ieu<,,Temminck.    Man.  d'Om.,  H.  (1820)  796. 

ZZ  RichZd»anii,  Nuttall.     Man.,  11.  (1834)  819.    Aud.   B.rds  Am..  VU. 

(18**)  "0-  DBSCRirrioN. 

AduU  -Upper  part  of  the  head  blackish-brown;  nape  and  sides  of  the  neck 
.eli^S-wS  render  of  upper  plumage  Wackish-brown,  -ngs  and  t^, 
dlxCr  shafts  of  the  primaries  white;  under  plumage  wh.te ;  b.Ublmsh  at  the  base 
JuS  atS^^t;  tli  and  feet  black;  the  central  Uil  feathers  extend  beyond  the 


I 


THE   0ULL8. 


689 


linci. 


Birds  Am.,  VII.  (1844) 


I,  blackish-brown;  sides 
e  under  plumage  white, 
art  of  the  breast;  sidei 
and  tail  feathers  white! 
the  middle  tail  feathers 
inded  at  the  end,  and  of 

sh-brown ;  of  the  lower, 

ir  tail  covert*  margined 

yellow. 

inej  bill,  one  and  three 


north-east  coast  in 
,  subsists  on  putrid 

I  by  the  sea,  and 
lie  Gulls  disgorge 
eggs  of  sea-birds." 
nd  other  northern 

II  the  marshes,  or 
d  nest  of  the  sur- 
wo  or  throe  very 
with  a  small  num- 


'enimM«ib 


6. 

.  (1820)  796. 

9,    Aud.   Birds  Am'.,  Vll. 


lape  and  sides  of  the  neck 
sh-brown;  wings  and  tail 
hite;  bill  bluish  at  the  base, 
feathers  extend  beyond  the 


L       !    I   ..  ♦i.nvtBnpriliirhtlv.varvingbut  little  in  breadth  until  near 

°'t.S: twenty  to  twenty-two  inches ;  wing,  thirteen  and  «  half;  tail,  eight  and 
.hall^i.  one  and  four-twelfths,  tarsi,  one  and  three-quarter  mches. 

/L.- Arctic  America;  breed,  in  Uie  Barren  Grounds;  coast  of  the  United 
States  from  New  York  northward. 

This  species  is  much  more  common  on  our  coast  in 
winter  than  the  other.  Its  habits  are  the  same,  and  its 
breeding-place  is  also  in  the  far  north.  Its  eggs  are  three 
in  number.  They  are  broadly  ov6idal  in  form,  and  much 
resemble  the  eggs  of  the  Laughing  Gull.  Their  primary 
color  varies  from  a  greenish-drab  to  the  predoininatuig 
olivaceous-green.  This  is  marked  with  spots  and  blotches 
of  various  shades  of  brown,  thickest  at  the  greater  end, 
and  some  spots  of  obscure-purple.  The  dimensions  vary 
from  2.25  by  1.60  inch  to  2.18  by  1.54. 


Sub-Family  Larin-e.  —  The  Gulls. 

Bill  differing  considerably  in  strength  and  form;  generally  straight   with  tlve 

''' Thet  birds  vary  much  in  size,  some  being  quite  small,  while  others  rank  among 
These  birds  va,ym  ,  ^^^.^^  ^^  any  region,  but  are  found 

frequenUng  harbors  and  ascending  nvers. 

The  above  general  descriptions  of  the  habits  of  our  Gulls 
are  so  comprehensive  and  terse  that  I  will  ^ddjiothmg  at 
length  to  them  here.  They  feed  on  fish  (which  they  often 
seize  in  their  bills  in  the  water),  various  aquatic  animals, 
and  dead  animal  matter  thrown  up  on  the  shores  or  floating 
on  the  waves.  They  attack  and  kill  wounded  birds,  anu 
eat  them,  and  also  drive  aquatic  birds  from  their  eggs  and 


J^'VniiMiifMiKtttfi'tBt'f'^^^""''''"''"^ 


640 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


yoyng,  which  they  eat.    They  are,  in  the  water,  almost  pre- 
cisely what  the  Crows  aiid  Jays  are  on  the  land. 


LARUS  rUSLlVm.  —  Litmaut. 
The  Great  Black-backed  Gull. 
T  •„„«.„.     qv»t  Nat  L  (1788)  225.    Nutt  Man.,  IT.  (1834)  308. 
Aud.  Birds  Am.,  VIL  (1844)172. 

DiCiCRIPTIOK. 

''''rlT'  Hetrrum;  andtt  plumage  grayi.h-white,  with  streak,  of  light- 

^°"ii:t::riSS"we:;.e„ty,  tai^nine,  hiU.t.oa„dten.twem., 
"T;rr;;"u;^;Srador,  a.  ..r  south  as  .lorida  in  winter. 

The  Black-backed  Gull  i8  of  frequent  occurrence  on  our 
coast  in  the  autumn  and  winter  months  ;  and,  according  to 
Mr  George  A.  Boardman,  a  few  breed  as  ftu  south  as  the 
islands  in  the  Bay  of  Fundy.  Audubon  describes  its 
breeding  habits  as  follows:  — 

.<  The  nest  of  this  species  is  usually  placed  on  the  bare  rock  of 
some  low  island,  sometimes  beneath  a  projecting  shelf,  sometimes 
nTwide  fissure.     In  Labrador,  it  is  formed  of  moss  and  seaweeds 
carefllT arranged,  and  has  a  diameter  of  about  two  feet;  being 
Xd  on  the  elges  to  the  height  of  five  or  six  inches,  but  seldom 
Lore  than  two  ilhes  thick  in  the  centre,  where  feathers,  d^  grass 
and  other  materials,  are  added.     The  eggs  are  three,  and  "• 
instance  have  I  found  more.    They  are  two  inches  and  seven- 
e°irhth8  in  length  by  two  inches  and  one-eighth  in  breadth ;  broadly 
ovttl      oughflut'not  granulated ;  of  a  pale  earthy  g-eni^h-gray 
Jot  irrej^llrly  blotch^  and  spotted  with  brownish-black,  dark- 
umber,  and  dull-purple." 


5S;SES!?6*'«' 


THE   UEBBINO  OULL. 


Ui 


almost  pre- 


Mi.,  n.  (1834)  308. 


I  coverts,  and  tail 
priinuries  «ro  deep 
!  of  the  quills;  the 
he  lower  mandible; 

th  streaks  of  light- 
sh-white;  primaries 
ipotted  with  brown, 
jrownish-black,  yel- 

wo  and  ten-twelfths ; 

winter. 


rrence  on  our 
(1,  according  to 
i  south  as  the 
I  describes  its 


the  bare  rock  of 
shelf,  sometimes 
088  and  seaweeds 
two  feet;  being 
iches,  but  seldom 
eatbers,  dry  grass, 
three,  and  in  no_ 
nehes  and  seven- 
breadth;  broadly 
rthy  greenish-gray 
wnish-black.  dark- 


LiUUS  AKOEHTATUS.  — Bi-fl»n»<'A- 
The  Herring  OuW;  the  SiWery  Qull. 
Laru»  arnntMu,,  Briinnlch.    Ora.  Bor.  (1704),  44.    Nutt.  Man.,  II.  (1884)  804. 
Aud.  Birds  Am.,  VII.  (1844)  168. 

•  DuoBipnoM. 

^rfuft.  -Head,  neck,  under  parts,  rump,  and  tail,  pure-white;  back  and  wings 
light  pearl-blue;  the  first  six  primaries  are  marked  towards  their  ends  with  black, 
which  Legins  on  the  first  at  about  half  its  length  fro.u  the  end,  and  is  rapidly  les- 
scnod  on  the  oU.ers  until  it  becomes  only  n  Bi.hlerminal  bar  on  the  Bixth;  the  pn- 
maries  all  tipped  with  white,  -  the  firM  ,u'  '  i»  «bo"t  ««  '"<='>  '"■''.  »  ''""  '" 
extent,  crossed  near  the  end  wul.  a  black  1....  on  l>o  second  qu.ll  there  m  a  round 
white  spot  on  the  inner  web  near  the  end;  sc  ondaries  and  tertiar.es- broadly  endmg 
with  white;  bill  brirht-yellow,  with  an  ofang«-fed  sp-jt  near  the  end  of  the  lower 
mandible;  legs  and   .:et  flesh-colored;  iris  white.  . ,    . .  k 

roun<,.- Mottled  with  light  grayish-brown  and  dull-white;  primaries  blackish- 
brown;  bill  brownish-black,  yellowish  at  the  base. 

Length  of  male,  twenty-three  inches;  wing,  eighteen ;  tail,  seven  and  a  h.^lf ;  bill, 
along  ridge,  two  and  a  half;  depth  at  angle,  thirteen-sixteenths;  tarsus,  two  and 
a  half.    Female  a  litUo  smaller  than  the  male,  but  similar  in  plumage. 

^04. -Atlantic  coast  from  Texas  to  Newfoundland;  Western  States;  Ohio  and 
Mississippi  Rivers. 

This  species  is  abundant  on  our  coast  in  tho  autnmn, 
winter,  and  until  late  in  spring,  and  luany  in'     .duius  are 
seen  through  the  whole  summer.     I  foui^l  several  appar- 
ently breeding  about  the  Umbagog  Lakes,        Maine ;  and 
have  no  doubt  that  it  incubates  in  various  loca  Ides  in  Now 
England,  both  on  the  coast  and  in  the  interior.    It  breeds 
in  the  greatest  abundance  in  Labrador  and  other  northern 
countries,  where  it  nests  like  the  preceding,  and  sometimes 
in  trees.    The  birds  which  I  saw  about  Lake  Umbagog  prob- 
ably had  nests  in  trees,  as  they  frequented  a  tract  of  dead 
pines  aud  hemlocks  inaccessible  to  me  on  account  of  inun- 
dation, and  they  frequently  alighted  in  their  tops.     The 
eggs  of  the  Herring  Gull  are  so  diflferent  in  form,  color,  and 
markings,  that  hardly  any  description  can  be  intelligible. 
A  great  number  of  specimens  in  my  collection  vary  in 
form  from  abruptly  ovate  to  a  lengthened  ovoidal.     Their 
color  varies  from  a  pale-cinereous  to  an  olivaceous-drab; 
and  their  markings  from  thickly  spattered  blotches  of 


% 


642 


OBNITHOLOOY   AND  OOLOOt. 


black  to  different,  browns  and  obscure  -  purples.  Their 
dimensions  vary  from  2.85  by  2.05  inch  to  2.G5  by  1.85 
inch.  Largo  spocimens  of  tliis  species  cannot  bo  distm- 
guislied  from  small  ones  of  tlio  preceding. 

■  CIIROICOCEPHALUS,  Ettok. 

Chroicocephaltu,  Kyton,  Cat.  Brit.  Birdi  (1886).  '  ,  ^.   . . 

Bill  moderate,  rather  .lender,  much  compre..cd ;  upper  mandible  .traight  at  baie, 
more  or  lew  curved  at  the  end;  no.tril.  lateral  and  longitudinal;  wings  long  nar- 
row, and  pointed;  fail  moderate,  u.ually  even;  tarti  rather  .lender;  feet  webbed; 
hind  toe  .mail  and  elevated.  

These  Gull,  are  of  medium  or  .mall  .i/.e:  In  their  .prmg  attiro,  the  head  ii 
clotlied  with  a  dark<olored  hood;  but  In  the  winter  it  become,  white,  with  b  du.ky 
.pot  behind  the  car.  These  bird,  are  veiy  hand.ome,  the  dark  and  light  color,  of 
their  plumage  forming  a  beautiful  contrast. 


I 


I 

I' 


CHBOlCOCEraALUS  ATMOILLA.  —  iaiorenes. 

Th«  Laughing  Ooll. 

Larm  aU-icilla,  Linnmus.    Sy.t.  Nat.,  I.  ( 1766)  226.    Bon.  Syn.  (1828),  No.  294. 
Nutt.  Man.,  II.  (1884)  291.    Aud.  Bird.  Am.,  VII.  (1844)  138. 
Larui  ridibundu$.    Wil..,  IX.  (1824)  80. 

Debcbiptiok. 
^iuft.— Head  and  upper  part  of  neck  blackish  lead-gray,  extending  lower  in 
front;  upper  and  lower  eyelids  white  posteriorly;  lower  part  of  neck,  entire  under 
plumage,  rump,  and  tail,  pure-white;  in  spring,  a  beautiful  roseate  tintexisU  on  the 
breast  and  abdomen;  back  and  wings  grayish-lead  color;  the  first  six  primaries  are 
black,  beginning  on  the  first  at  about  two-thirds  of  its  lei^th  from  the  point,  and 
regularly  becoming  les.  on  the  other.,  until,  on  the  sixth,  i1  is  reduced  to  two  spoU 
near  the  end;  tips  in  wrae  specimens  white,  and  in  others  black  to  their  points;  bill 
and  inside  of  the  mouth  dark-carmine;  iris  bluish-black;  legs  and  feet  deep-red;  in 
winter  the  head  becomes  white,  intermixed  on  the  crown  and  hind  neck  with  brown- 

""tln^gth,  seventeen  inches;  wing,  thirteen;  tail,  five;  bill,  one  and  three-fourths j 
tarsus,  two  inches. 

ifai.  — Texas  to  Massachusetts. 

This  handsome  bird  is  a  resident  on  our  coasts  through 
the  summer,  but  is  not  at  all  abundant.  It  nests  in  the 
marshes,  making  only  a  loose  structure  of  a  few  pieces  of 
seaweeds  or  grasses,  which  it  places  in  a  sandy,  elevated 
spot,  where  the  tides  do  not  reach.  The  eggs  are  three  in 
number.    Their  form  is  usually  ovoidal,  sometimes  ovate: 


• -SfJIMIWlMWaOiiww! 


T" 


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1.G5  by  1.85 
)t  bo  distiu- 


r 


le  ilraight  at  bate, 
,  wings  loiiK,  Har- 
der; f«ot  w«bbc(li 

ittiro,  the  head  it 
lite,  with  a  dinlty 
ad  light  colura  of 


n.  (1838),  No.  894. 


sxtondinK  lower  in 
neck,  entire  under 
te  tint  exists  on  the 
!t  six  primaries  are 
rom  the  point,  and 
duccd  to  two  spots 
to  thoir  points;  bill 
id  feet  deep-red ;  in 
id  neck  with  brown- 

)  and  three-fourths; 


coasts  through 
;  nests  in  the 
few  pieces  of 
andy,  elevated 
8  are  three  in 
netimes  ovate. 


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Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


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Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHIVI/ICIVIH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /Instltut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historlques 


I 


BONAPABTE'S  OUUi. 


643 


Their  color  is  an  olivaceous-drab,  sometimes  a  grayish- 
green.  This  is  covered,  more  or  less  thickly,  with  blotches 
and  spots  of  different  shades  of  brown  and  purple,  and 
obscure  markings  of  the  same. 

Tlieir  dimensions  vary  from  2.28  by  1.65  i.ich  to  2  by  1.50 
inch.  Some  specimens  have  numerous  irregular  streaks 
of  umber-brown  over  the  surface  at  the  greater  end,  and 
others  have  large  confluent  blotches  of  the  same  color. 


CHBOICOCEPHALUS  FHIIilDELPRIA.  —  Zawrence. 
Bonaparte's  Gnll. 

Larui  SonaparUi,TSxxtUM.     Man.,  II.  (1884)  294.     Aud.  Birds  Am.,  VII.  (1844) 

181. 

Dkbcmptioh. 

^rfuft.— Head  and  upper  part  of  neck  grayish-black,  this  color  extending  rather 
lower  on  the  throat  than  on  the  neck  behind;  lower  part  of  neck,  under  plumage, 
rump,  and  tail,  white;  back  and  wings  clear  blqish-gray;  first  primary  black  on  the 
outer  web;  inner  web  of  the  first  primary,  both  webs  of  ^he  second,  and  the  outer 
web  of  the  third,  white;  the  inner  web  of  the  third,  and  all  the  other  primaries,  are 
of  the  same  color  as  the  back;  the  six  outer  primaries  have  their  ends  black  for  the 
extent  of  about  an  inch  on  the  central  ones,  but  less  on  the  first  and  sixth,  — they 
are  all  slightly  tipped  with  white;  shoulders,  anterior  borders  of  the  wings,  and  outer 
webs  of  the  primary  coverts  white;  bill  deep  black;  inside  of  mouth  carmine;  iris 
hazel ;  legs  and  feet  orange,  with  a  reddish  tinge. 

The  young  have  the  head  white,  intermixed  on  the  occiput  and  hind  neck  with 
dark-gray;  a  round  spot  of  dark-plumbeous  behind  the  eye  ;  the  smaller  wing 
coverts  brown;  the  outer  webs  of  several  of  the  primaries,  and  a  subtcrminal  band 
on  the  tail,  black. 

Length,  fourteen  and  a  half  inches;  wing,  ten  and  a  half;  tail,  four  and  a  quar- 
ter; bill,  one  and  one-eighth;  tarsus,  one  am'  five-sixteenths  inch. 

i7(ii.— Texas  to  Nova  Scotia,  Mississippi  River,  «\ir  countries,  Pacific  coast  of 
North  America. 

This  species  is  pretty  common  on  our  coast,  and  is  often 
found  in  the  neighborhood  of  large  tracts  of  water  in  the 
interior. 

BISSA,  Leacr. 

Jti>»a,  Leach,  Steph.  Gen.  Zool,,  XHI.  (1826)  180.    (Type  Laras  iiidact^w,  L.) 

BiU  rather  long,  strong,  and  much  compressed;  culmen  straight  at  base,  curved 

from  the  nostrils  to  the  tip ;  nostrils  lateral  and  longitudinal ;  wings  long  and 

pointed;  Uil  even;  tarsi  rather  short;  toea  slender  and  united  by  a  full  web;  him' 

toe  rudimentary  or  very  small. 


piiH»"Ly?>l  1. 1.  llJflUWWfWW^' 


544 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


BIS8A  TBIDACTYLA.— JSonajxirfe. 

The  KittiwBka  OuU. 

Lartu  tridaetyltu,  Linnoitu.  Sygt.  Nat.,  I.  (1768)  324.  Nutt.  Han.,  II.  (1834) 
288.    Aud.  Birds  Am.,  VII.  (1844)  146. 

Descbiftiox. 

Adult. —  Keai,  neck,  entire  under  plumage,  rump,  and  tail,  white;  back  and 
wings  light  bluish-gray;  the  ends  of  the  five  outer  primaries,  and  the  outer  web  of 
the  first,  black;  the  fourth  and  fifth  have  small  white  tips;  bill  greenish  yellow;  iria 
reddish-brown;  legs  and  feet  brownish-black,  with  a  green  tinge. 

Toung.  —  The  head  is  white,  marked  on  the  hind  head  and  neck  with  bluish- 
gray;  a  spot  of  the  same  color  over  the  ears;  a  narroir  crescent  of  black  in  front  of 
the  eye;  wings  and  shoulders  marked  with  black;  primaries  black;  tail  white,  with 
a  snbterminal  black  band;  bill  black;  rest  of  the  plumage  same  as  in  the  adult. 

Length,  about  seventeen  inches;  wing,  twelve  ;  tail,  five  and  three-quarters, 
bill,  one  and  a  half;  tarsus,  one  and  three-eighths  inches. 

Bab.  —  Fur  countries;  Labrador;  southern  coast  in  winter. 

This  species  is  not  common  on  our  coasts  through  the 
summer  months.  Audubon  says  it  breeds  as  far  south  m 
the  island  of  Gra»d  Menan,  oflf  the  entrance  of  the  Bay 
of  Fundy ;  and  it  probably  also  incubates  on  other  islands 
oflf  the  coast  of  Maine.  The  nest  is  composed  of  sea- 
weeds, which  are  arranged  in  a  large  pile,  and  placed  on 
a  ledge  of  rock  in  a  crevice,  or  on  a  jutting  shelf.  This  nest 
is  occupied  for  successive  years ;  and  it  receives  additions  in 
every  season.  The  eggs  are  three  in  number.  Their  form 
is  usually  ovoidal :  their  color  varies  from  a  creamy-drab, 
with  a  very  slight  olivaceous  tint,  to  a  delicate  gray.  On 
this  are  scattered  blotches  of  different  shades  of  brown, 
and  obscure  spots  and  blotches  of  lilac.  Of  these  eggs-— 
as  of  all  the  eggs  of  Gulls  and  Terns— it  is  difficult  to 
give  descriptions  by  which  specimens  could  be  identified. 
The  above  description,  however,  answers  for  all  the  eggs 
of  this  species  in  my  collection.  The  dimensions  vary  from 
2.20  by  1.60  inch  to  2.04  by  1.66. 


u  Han.,  U.  (1834) 


white;  back  and 
I  the  outer  web  of 
'eenish  yellow;  iria 

neck  with  bluish- 
f  black  in  front  of 
k ;  tail  white,  with 
is  in  the  adult, 
nd  three-quarten, 


through  the 
far  south  ts 
>  of  the  Bay 
other  islands 
wsed  of  sea- 
nd  placed  on 
If.  This  nest 
■I  additions  in 
Their  form 
creamy-drab, 
te  gray.  On 
!s  of  brown, 
these  eggs  — 
3  difficult  to 
)e  identified, 
all  the  eggs 
ns  vary  jfrom 


THE  MARSH  TERN. 


545 


Sub-Family  Sterninjs.—  The  Terns. 

Bill  rather  long,  usually  slender,  straight,  sometimes  with  the  upper  mandible 
curved  at  the  tip,  which  is  acutely  pointed;  nostrils  linear  and  pervious;  wings 
elongated;  primaries  long  and  pointed,  secondaries  of  moderate  length;  tail  rather 
long  and  in  most  species  forked;  tarsi  slender;  anterior  toes  have  their  websemar- 
ginate,  hind  toe  small ;  claws  moderate,  curved  and  acute. 

These  birds  are  mostly  found  on  the  <(eftco«il  «nd  neighboring  bays,  occasionally 
on  rivers  and  lakes:  they  assemble  in  large  numbers  .n  the  sand  bars  and  points  at 
the  mouth  of  inlets,  are  much  on  the  wing,  and  are  remarkable  for  their  buoyant 
and  easy  flight.  Their  food  consists  of  small  fishes  and  Crustacea,  which  they 
obtain  by  hovering  over  and  suddenly  darting  down  upon:  although  they  thus  seize 
their  prey  while  in  the  water,  they  only  occasionally  swim  or  rest  upon  its  surface. 

STERNA,  Lvmaxua. 

Sterna,  LvusMva,  Syst.  Nat.  (1746). 

Bill  more  or  less  strong,  about  the  length  of  the  head ;  the  upper  mandible  slightly 
curved  to  the  tip,  which  is  narrow  and  acute,  the  lower  straight,  with  the  junction 
of  the  crura  about  the  middle ;  the  noii  ■-.  iateral  and  linear,  with  the  frontal  feath- 
ers extending  to  the  opening;  wings  loag,  primaries  narrow  and  tapering,  the  outer 
quill  longest;  tail  rather  long  and  more  or  less  forked;  tarsi  short;  toes  small  and 
slender  with  the  webs  emargmate;  hind  toe  short;  claws  slightly  arched  and  acute. 


STERNA  AEAHEA.  —  TFi&on. 
The  Marsh  Tern. 

Sterna  aranea,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  VIII.  (1814)  148. 

SUma  Angliea,  Nuttall.  Man.,  II.  (1884)  269.  Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  V.  (1889)  127. 
lb.,  Birds  Am.,  VU.  (1844)  81. 

Description. 

Adult  —Upper  part  of  the  head,  occiput,  and  sides  of  the  head  upon  a  line  with 
the  lower  eyelid,  black;  back  and  wings  light  bluish-gray;  primaries  hoary  on  the 
outer  webs  and  tshy-gray  on  the  inner,  becoming  lighter  towards  the  base ;  tail 
same  color  as  the  back,  but  paler,  and  with  the  outer  feather  nearly  white;  a  line  at 
the  base  of  the  uppor  mandible,  neck  in  front  and  enUre  under  plumage,  pure-white; 
bill  deep-black;  ins  brown;  legs  and  feet  black. 

Length,  thirteen  and  three-quarters  inches;  wings  in  extent  thirty-four,  from 
flexure  ten  and  a  half;  tail,  four;  bill,  one  and  three-eighths;  tarsus,  one  inch. 

Hab.  —  Coast  of  the  United  States  as  far  north  as  Connecticut 

I  include  this  species  in  our  New-England  Terns  on  the 
above  authority.  I  have  not  met  with  it  myself,  and  know 
nothing  of  its  habits.    Wilson  says,— 

36 


646 


OBNITpOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


U 


"  This  species  I  first  met  on  the  shores  of  Cape  May,  particularly 
over  the  salt  marshes,  where  it  was  darting  down  after  a  kind  of 
large  black  spider,  plenty  in  such  places.  This  spider  can  travel 
under  water,  as  well  as  above,  and,  during  summer  at  least,  seems 
to  constitute  the  principal  food  of  the  present  Tern.  In  several 
which  I  opened,  the  stomach  was  crammed  with  a  mass  of  these 
spiders  alone :  these  they  frequently  pick  up  from  the  pools,  as  well 
as  from  the  grass,  dashing  down  on  them  in  the  manner  of  their 
tribe.  Their  voice  is  sharper  and  stronger  than  that  of  the  Com- 
mon Tern;  the  bill  is  differently  formed,  being  shorter,  more 
rounded  above,  and  thicker ;  the  tail  is  also  much  shorter,  and  less 
forked.  They  do  not  associate  with  others,  but  keep  in  small 
parties  by  themselves. 

«'  This  species  breeds  in  the  salt  marshes.  The  female  drops  her 
eggs,  generally  three  or  four  in  number,  on  the  dry  drift  grass, 
without  the  slightest  appearance  of  a  nest:  they  are  of  a  greenish- 
olive,  spotted  with  brown." 

STEBHA   CASPIA.  — Paifcw. 

The  Caspiaa  Tern. 

fiffema  Cojpio,  Pallas.     Nov.  Com.  Petr.,  XIV.  682.    Lawr.  Ann.  Lye.  N.Y., 

V.  (1851)  37. 

DESCBimoN. 

ildfuft.— Forehead,  crown,  sides  of  the  head,  and  occiput,  black,  glossed  with 
green;  this  color  extends  below  the  eye,  under  which  is  a  narrow  white  line;  back 
and  wings  light  bluish-ash;  the  six  outer  primaries  dark  slate-gray  on  their  inner 
webs;  quill  sh-fts  strong  and  white;  tail  and  its  upper  coverts  grayish-white;  nect 
and  entire  under  plumage  pure  white;  bill  and  inside  of  mouth  bright  vermilion; 
legs  and  feet  black;  bill  very  stout;  tail  not  deeply  forked. 

In  the  young,  the  back,  wing  coverts,  and  tail,  are  mottled  and  barred  with  black- 
ish-brown. 

Length,  twenty-one  and  a  half  inches;  extent  of  wings,  fifty-one;  from  flexure, 
sixteen  and  three-quarters;  bill,  ftom  base,  two  and  seven-eighths;  tail,  six  inches. 

Hab.  —  Coast  of  New  Jersey  northward. 


I  include  this  species  on  the  above  authority, 
are  unknown  to  me. 


Its  habits 


;.   t 


STSSHA   WlliSOSn.  — Bonaparte. 
Wilson's  Tern.— 
SJmwWrufKfo,  Wilson.    Am.  Cm.,  VIL  (1818)  76.    Nutt.  Man.,  H.  (1884)  271. 
Aud.  Cm.  Biog.,  IV.  (1838)  74.    lb.,  Birds  Am.,  VII.  (1844)  97. 


;  i 


r,  particularly 
fter  a  kind  of 
IV  can  travel 
t  least,  seems 
.  In  several 
mass  of  these 

pools,  as  well 
inner  of  their 

of  the  C!om- 
shorter,  more 
)rter,  and  less 
teep  in  small 

nale  drops  her 
ry  drift  grass, 
of  a  greenish- 


Ann.  Lye.  N.T., 


lack,  glossed  with 
r  white  line ;  back 
[ray  on  their  inner 
ayish-white;  neclr. 
I  bright  vermilion ; 

barred  with  black- 
one;  from  flexure, 
i;  tail,  six  inches. 


Y-    Its  habits 


[an.,  n.  (1884)  271. 


Wilson's  tern. 


647 


Descriptioh. 

^rfuft.  — Upper  part  of  the  head  and  hind  neck  deep-black,  tinged  with  brown 
on  the  front  part  of  the  head;  back  and  wings  light  grayi5h-blu.>;  first  primary 
with  the  outer  web  black,  on  the  inner  web  grayish-black  next  thu  shaft,  this  color 
increasing  in  extent  towards  the  end,  where  it  covers  the  entire  we!)  for  about  one 
inch,  rest  of  inner  web  white;  the  next  five  primaries  are  hoary  on  their  outer  webs, 
and  blackish-gray  on  the  inner  next  the  shaft,  occupying  th.  entire  web  at  the  end; 
margin  of  the  inner  webs  white ;  central  tail  feathers  very  pale  bluish-gray,  the  others 
white  on  the  inner  webs  and  dusky-gray  on  the  outer  webs,  deepening  in  color  from 
the  central  feathers  until  it  becomes  blackish-gray  on  the  lateral  ones;  sides  of  the 
head,  thront,  rump,  and  under  tail  coverts,  white;  breast  and  abdomen  clear  pearl- 
gray;  bill  coral-red,  black  near  the  end  with  the  tip  yellow;  iris  hazel;  legs  and 
feet  coral-red,  not  so  dark  as  the  bill ;  claws  brownish-black. 

Length,  fourteen  and  three-quarters  inches;  wing,  ten  and  three-quarters;  tail, 
five  and  three-quarters;  bill,  one  and  three-eighths;  tarsus,  three-quarters  of  an 

inch. 

Hob. — Texas  to  Labrador. 

This  is  by  far  the  most  common  species  we  have  in.  New 
England.  It  breeds  in  great  abundance  all  along  our  coast, 
both  on  the  beach,  on  the  mainland,  and  on  the  rocky  and 
sandy  islands  ofT  our  shores.  In  some  localities,  it  is  so 
abundant  that  I  have  collected  in  the  space  of  two  hours, 
in  the  area  of  about  thirty  acres,  a  half-bushel  of  eggs.  In 
most  localities,  it  forms  no  nest,  but  drops  its  eggs  on  the 
sand  or  on  the  bare  rock.  On  the  island  of  Muskegeet,  I 
found  that  it  invariably  scooped,  out  a  hollow  of  two  or  three 
inches  in  the  sand,  in  which  it  laid  three  or  four  eggs, 
arranged  them  with  their  small  ends  together  in  the  middle, 
and  built  around  them  a  loose  nest  of  seaweeds  and  grass. 
These  eggs  are  so  varied  in  color  and  markings,  that  no 
description  of  them  can  be  given  by  which  they  may  be  recog- 
nized. In  a  great  number  in  my  collection,  the  predominat- 
ing color  is  a  reddish-drab,  which  is  marked  with  numerous 
spots  and  confluent  blotches  of  different  shades  of  brown, 
and  obscure  blotches  of  cinereous.  Many  specimens  are  an 
olivaceous-gray,  with  the  same  markings ;  and  others  are  a 
creamy-buff.  Their  form  is  usually  exactly  ovoidal,  and 
their  dimensions  average  about  1.55  by  1.25  inch. 

This  species  is  very  irregular  in  its  period  of  depositing 
its  eggs.    I  have  found  them  as  early  as  the  last  week  in 


^'if?S5SW'ie'"^-9*^IS^5K5J^*?*''^^^^"^'''^'^" 


648 


ORNITHOLOOY   AND  OOLOGY. 


May,  and  as  late  as  the  12th  of  July.  I  have  seen,  in  the 
Bpaco  of  a  square  rod,  eggs,  in  which  the  chicks  were  about 
ready  to  break  the  shell,  and  others  that  were  apparently 
but  just  laid;  and,  close  beside  them  both,  were  squatting 
young  birds  almost  fully  grown  and  feathered. 

About  the  16th  of  June  is  the  period  when  the  eggs  of 
this  species  are  in  the  best  condition  in  New  England  for 
cabinet  preservation;  the  young  then  being,  as  a  general 
thing,  scarcely  formed. 

Early  in  October,  these  birds  begin  to  be  scarce  m  our 
latitude,  and  they  spend  the  winter  on  the  shores  of  the 
southern  gulf. 

STERHA  MAOROURA.— JVaumann. 
Tbe  Arotio  Tern. 

DEsCRnrrioN. 

Adult  -Upper  part  of  the  head  and  hind  neck  black;  back  and  wings  light 
«ravf  Slue ;  firlt  primary  deep-black  on  the  outer  web,  dusky-gray  on  the  mner 
Text  e  haft,  and  over  the  erMrc  web  at  the  end,  inner  „,argm  ot  n-ner  web  wh.te 
1  n  xt  five  primaries  are  bluisb-gray  on  the  outer  web  and  on  the  mner  web  next 
T.  «hSthU  color  extending  over  the  entire  web  at  the  end,  where  it  ><i  black.sh- 
S:r^'  tt  ntr  mar;in.'the  remaining  part  of  inner  web  white:  central  ta, 
fea'he^a  and  inner  web,  of  the  others  white,  the  outer  web  of  the  outer  ta.l  feather 
Sacki  hlay,  the  outer  webs  of  the  two  next  pale  blui,h-gray ;  rump  s.dea  of  the 
head  and  u^der  tail  coverU,  white,  under  plumage  bluish-gray  of  a  hghter  shade 
th!n  the  back-  bill  deep-carmine;  iris  brown;  legs  and  feet  dark-cnmson. 

Length,  »  and"^  half  inches;  wing,  tea  and  a  half;  tail,  six  and  a  half 

'""i— Coast  of  the  New-England  States  to  Arctic  seas;  far  countries. 

This  species  is  almost,  if  not  equally,  as  abundant  on  our 
shores  in  silmmer  as  the  preceding.  It  breeds,  in  our  lati- 
tude in  the  same  localities  and  at  the  same  time  as  the 
other ;  and  its  eggs  are  so  exactly  similar,  that  any  descrip- 
tion  of  either  is  impossible,  by  which  they  can  be  identified. 
The  only  method  that  I  know  of  to  obtain  authentic  speci- 
mens of  each  is,  either  to  visit  localities  in  which  either 


THE  LEAST   TERN. 


549 


seen,  in  the 
;  were  about 
!  apparently 
re  squatting 
[. 

the  eggs  of 
England  for 
1,8  a  general 

carce  in  our 
hores  of  the 


Syn.  (1828),  No. 
(1884)  275.    Aud. 


k  and  wings  light 
-gray  on  tbe  innor 
jf  inner  web  white; 
the  inner  vreb  next 
lere  it  is  blackish- 
white;  central  tail 
e  outer  tail  feather 
rump,  sides  of  the 
of  a  lighter  shade 
lark-crimson, 
tail,  six  and  a  half 

countries. 

undant  on  our 
is,  in  our  lati- 
e  time  as  the 
at  any  descrip- 
1  be  identified, 
iithentic  speci- 
i  which  either 


gpeo.ios  is  found  by  itself,  or  to  wait  until  late  in  the  season, 
and,  after  finding  a  nest,  observe  carefully  the  bird  that 
hovers  over  it,  and  shoot  her.  It  is  a  well-known  habit 
of  these  species  to  hover  over 
their  eggs  after  being  driven 
from  them :  but  this  is  generally 
confined  to  the  close  of  the  sea- 
son of  incubation,  or  very  dark 
or  wet  weather ;  and  the  student, 
to  avail  himself  of  it,  must  bo 
on  the  spot  at  the  proper  time. 
The  moment  a  person  approach- 
es one  of  their  breeding  places, 
the  whole  colony  leave  their  eggs 
or  young,  and  fly  to  meet  the 
intruder.  I  have  been  on  an 
island  of  not  more  than  thirty 
acres  area,  where  thousands  of 
these  birds  of  both  species,  and  also  the  following,  were 
breeding ;  and  their  cries,  'kree  'kree  'kree,  were  so  loud  that 
my  companions  within  twenty  feet  of  me  had  to  shout  at 
their  loudest  to  make  their  words  intelligible. 

The  Arctic  Tern,  li!'e  all  the  others,  leaves  its  eggs  in 
warm  sunny  days  for  several  hours,  depending  on  the  sun 
to  assist  in  incubation.  When  one  bird  is  shot,  the  others, 
instead  of  flying  off",  only  redouble  their  outcries,  darting 
down  at  the  intruder  within  a  few  feet  of  his  head ;  and  the 
noise  and  confusion  are  so  great,  that  one  is  almost  bewil- 
dered, and  can  hardly  keep  his  wits  about  him  sufficiently 
to  secure  and  properly  identify  his  specimens. 


STEBHA  PEEHATA.— Gomie/. 
The  Least  Tarn. 


Sterna  mhuta,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  VH.  (1818)  80, 
m.    76.,  Birds  Am.,  VII.  (1844)  119. 

Sterna  argentM,  Nuttall.    Man.,  U.  (1884)  280. 


Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  FV.  (1888) 


J--V 


wmm 


m 


OBNITHOLOOY   AND   OOLOGY. 


i  ■= 


DESCRipnn*. 

AduU.  — On  the  forehead  ia  s  triangular  white  «pot  ealendlnK  to  the  eye;  crown, 
occiput,  and  a  line  from  the  eye  to  the  upper  mandible,  deep-black;  entire  upper 
plumage  and  wing,  clear  bluish-gray;  first  two  primaries  with  the  outer  web  and 
haK  the  inner  next  the  shaft,  grayish  black,  ends  of  the  same  color,  inner  margin* 
white,  the  shafts  of  these  two  quills  are  black;  the  other  primaries  same  color  as  the 
back,' with  the  inner  margins  white;  tail  saihe  color  as  the  back,  except  the  outer 
margin  of  the  exterior  lieather,  and  the  inner  webs  of  the  others  at  the  bwe,  where 
they  are  white;  entire  under  plumage  silvery-white;  bill  pale  orange-yellow;  ina 
hazel;  legs  and  feet  light  orange-red. 

Length,  eight  and  three-quarters  inches;  wing,  alx  and  three-quarters;  taU,  three 

and  a  half  inches. 

Uab.—texM  to  Labrador;  western  rivers. 

This  handsome  little  bird  is  of  similar  habits,  and  is 
almost  as  abundant  as  the  preceding.  It  breeds  in  the  same 
localities,  and,  like  the  others,  nests  on  the  beach  or  bare 
rocks.  The  eggs  are  three  in  number.  They  are  a  rounded 
ovoidal  in  form,  and  a  grayish-cream  tint  in  color :  they  are 
marked  with  spots  and  confluent  blotches  of  different  shades 
of  brown  and  obscure-lilac,  and  vary  in  dimensions  from 
1.25  by  .90  inch  to  1.15  by  .91  inch.  A  large  number  of 
specimens  from  both  the  Southern  and  Northern  States 
exhibit  no  appreciable  difference  either  in  size  or  markings. 


HYDROCHELroON,  Bow. 

FyrfrocWufon,  BoiB,  Isis  (1822),  668. 

Bill  ratlier  short,  strong,  the  upper  mandible  curving  slightly  to  the  tip;  nostriU 
basal,  lateral,  and  longitudinal,  the  frontal  feathers  reaching  nearly  to  the  opening; 
wings  very  long  and  pointed;  tail  moderate  and  eraarginate;  legs  short;  the  ante- 
rior toes  slender,  with  the  webs  deeply  indented ;  hind  toe  small ;  claws  slender  and 
acute. 

EYDSOCBELIDOH  PLUHBEA.  —  Wilton. 

The  Short-toiled  Tern. 

S«emop/um6ea,  Wilson.    Am.  Om.,  VIL  (1813)  88. 

Sterna  nigra,  Nuttall.    Man.,  IL  (1884)  282.    Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  HI.  (1885)  636; 
V.  (1889)  642.    lb.,  Birds  Am.,  VIL  (1844)  116. 

Description. 
vlduit.— Head,  neck,  breast,  sides,  and  abdomen, black;  lower  tail  coverts  white; 
nnder  covering  of  wings  ashy-gray;  bjusk  and  wings  dark  plombeoiu-gray;  the 


■mmm 


the  eye ;  crown, 
ck;  entire  uj)per 
e  outer  web  and 
r,  inner  margin* 
lame  color  ax  the 
except  the  outer 
t  the  hp.se,  where 
inge-yellow ;  iri» 

arten;  tail,  thre* 


bita,  and  is 
i  in  tlie  same 
mch  or  bare 
re  a  rounded 
or :  they  are 
feront  shades 
msions  from 
;e  number  of 
them  States 
or  markings. 


to  the  tip;  nostrils 
ly  to  the  opening; 
gs  short;  the  ante- 
claws  slender  and 


j.,m.  (1885)  636; 


'  tail  coverts  white; 
unbtoui-gray;  the 


THE  8H0BT  TAILED  TEBN. 


661 


first  four  primaries  grayish-black,  with  their  shafts  white;  bend  o'  the  wing  edged 
with  white;  tail  same  color  as  the  back;  bill  browui»h-bl«ck ;  Irli  brown;  legs  and 
feet  reddish-brown. 

yuunff.  —  haek,  wings,  and  tail,  light-plu  nbcous,  with  the  feathers  of  the  back 
margined  with  brown;  top  of  the  head  and  around  the  eye  browiiinh-black;  front 
and  under  plumage  white;  tail  short,  and  but  slightly  forked. 

Length,  nine  and  a  half  inches;  wing,  eight  and  a  half;  Uil,  three  and  a  half 
inches. 

i/(i*.  — Texas  to  the  New-England  Slates,  Mississippi  Uiver,  and  tributaries;  fur 

countries. 

This  species  is  included  on  the  above  autliority.  Wilson 
describes  its  habits  as  follows :  — 

"  I  examined  upwards  of  thirty  individuals  of  this  species  by 
dissection,  and  found  both  sexes  alike  in  color.  Their  stomachs 
contained  grasshoppers,  crickets,  spiders,  &c.,  but  no  fish.  The 
people  on  the  seacoast  inform  me,  that  this  bird  comes  to  them 
only  in  the  fall,  or  towards  the  end  of  summer,  and  is  more  fre- 
quently seen  about  the  mill-ponds  and  fresh-water  marshes  than 
in  the  bays;  and  add,  that  it  feeds  on  grasshoppers  and  other 
insecte,  which  it  finds  on  the  meadows  and  marshes,  picking  them 
from  the  grass,  as  well  as  from  the  surface  of  the  water.  They 
have  never  known  it  to  associate  with  the  Lesser  Tern,  and 
consider  it  altogether  a  different  bird.  This  opinion  seems  con- 
firmed by  the  above  circumstances,  and  by  the  fact  of  ita  greater 
extent  of  wing,  being  full  three  inches  wider  than  the  Lesser 
Tern,  and  also  making  ita  appearance  after  the  others  have 
gone  off." 

Audubon  describes  the  bird  as  placing  its  nest  on  the  top 
of  a  broken  tussock  of  the  rankest  grasses,  of  which  the  fabric 
is  itself  composed ;  it  is  of  a  flattish  form,  and  about  two 
inches  thick.  It  is  enlarged  or  renewed  every  year,  some 
nests  being  found  to  be  from  four  to  six  inches  in  height. 
The  eggs,  laid  early  in  June,  are  four  in  number.  If  by  1 
inch  in  dimensions,  and  are  of  nearly  an  elliptical  form, 
being  but  slightly  pointed  at  one  end :  their  ground-color  is 
greenish-buflf,  spotted  and  dashed  with  reddish-umber  and 
black,  more  abundantly  towards  the  middle. 


i^l 


i  i 


m  15 


I   i 


MM 


HfMSRillM 


652 


OHNITUOLOQY   AND   OOLOdY. 


Family  PROCELLARID^.'  The  Pbtuklb. 


Hill  more  or  1cm  lengthened,  compressed,  and  deeply  grooved,  nppenrlng  to  b« 
formed  of  scverol  distinct  parts;  the  tip  is  strong,  much  hooked,  and  a<ulc;  the  nos- 
trils  open  from  distinct  tubes,  cither  single  or  double,  and  aro  situated  at  the  base  of 
the  up))cr  mandible. 

All  the  birds  embraced  In  this  family  aro  strictly  oceanic,  some  of  the  smaller 
•pecios  only  being  observed  in  bays  near  the  ocean  during  or  after  a  storm.  They 
vary  greatly  in  size,  some  being  quite  diminutive,  while  otiiers  aro  equal  in  dimen- 
sions to  the  largest  known  birds  of  flight.^ 

Two  sub-families,  namely,  Diomtileina  and  Procellaritta,  constitute  this  family, 
the  distinguishing  characters  of  which  are  as  follows  :  — 

DioMBDEiN.K.  — Bill  very  strong,  curved,  and  acute  at  the  end;  nostrili  short, 
tubular,  and  situated  on  the  sides  of  the  upper  mandible  near  the  base. 

riiocKLLAUiNiK.  — Dill  more  or  less  strong,  curved  at  the  end,  and  pointed) 
nostrils  tubular,  situated  on  tlie  culmen,  near  the  base,  and  opening  forwards. 


Suh-Family  Pbocellarinje.     The  True  Petrels. 

The  bill  more  or  less  strong,  compressed,  tip  much  hooked  and  pointed ;  the  nos- 
trils tubular,  to  a  greater  or  less  extent,  and  situated  on  the  basal  part  of  the  culmen ; 
generally  of  medium  or  small  size,  wandering  in  their  habits,  and  capable  of  sui- 
taining  themselves  on  wing  for  a  great  length  of  time. 


THALASSIDROMA,  Vigor* 

Thalaitulroma,  Vigors,  Zool.  Jour.  (1826). 

Bill  shorter  than  the  head,  slender  aad  weak,  the  tip  curved  and  acute,  the  side* 
compressed  and  moderately  grooved;  nostrils  at  the  base  of  the  culmen  tubular 
and  prominent;  wings  long  and  narrow,  the  second  quill  longest;  tail  forked  or 
emarginate;  legs  slender  and  very  long;  tibia  bare  for  a  considerable  space;  ante- 
rior toeo  rather  short  and  slender,  united  by  an  indented  webj  a  short  spur  in  place 
of  the  hind  toe. 

THALASSIDBOMA   LBACBn.  —  S<ynaparU. 
Leaoh'B  Petrel. 


ProeeOana  Leachii,  Temm.    Man.,  II.  (1820)  812. 
Thaloitidroma  Ltachii,  Nuttall.    Man.,  II.  (1834)  828. 
(1886)  484.    lb.,  Birds  Am.,  VU.  (1844)  219. 


Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  IIL 


rRKLS. 


d,  appcnrlnff  to  be 
iiid  acute ;  the  nos- 
atcd  at  the  base  of 

5me  of  the  snisller 
er  a  Btonn.  Tliey 
ro  equal  io  dimen- 

stitute  this  family, 

snd;  noRtriU  short, 

base. 

nnd,  and  pointed; 
Hjning  forwards. 


Petrelt. 

d  pointed ;  the  noi- 
partof  theculmen; 
knd  capable  of  sus- 


ind  acute,  the  side* 
the  culmcn  tubular 
;c9ti  tail  forked  or 
erable  space;  ante- 
short  spur  in  place 


id.  Om.  Biog.,  IIL 


Wilson's  stormy  petiTel. 


65a 


Dmchiition. 

The  plumaf^e  generally  is  «ooty-liri)wn,  darker  on  the  crown;  primaries  and  tail 
brownli<h-l)laik;  wing  coverts  and  inner  secondaries  asliy-grny;  rump,  feathi'rs  of 
the  si<ic>i  adjoining  it,  and  outer  lower  tail  coverts,  white ;  bill  black ;  iris  dark-brown ; 
tarsi  and  U^t  black. 

The  female  iliffers  only  In  being  rather  smaller. 

This  is  larger  than  Wilsons  Petrel,  and  has  a  much  stronger  bill:  It  maybe 
readily  known  from  it  by  its  forked  tail,  and  the  interdigital  webs  being  entirely 
black. 

Length,  eight  Inches;  wing,  six  and  »  half;  tail,  three;  bill,  two-tbirda  of  an 
inch ;  tarsus,  one  inch. 

THIS  Hpccics  is  tho  most  abundant  of  o\ir  Petrols.    It  is, 
ill  fact,  tho  only  one  that  brocds  hero  ;  and  all  others 
may  bo  regarded  as  wanderers.     About  the  first  week  in 
June,  in  tho  latitude  of  tho  islands  on  tho  north-eastern  coast 
of  Maine,  it  pairs.    Breeding  in  communities,  it  soon  begins 
its  nest.     This  is  composed  of  weeds,  short  grasses,  ard 
small  pebbles,  which  are  arranged  in  a  flai  structure,  at  liie 
end  of  a  burrow  constructed  by  tho  birds,  or  in  the  fissures 
and  crevices  of  rocks  on  the  islands  off  our  northern  coast. 
In  this  a  single  egg  is  deposited,  which  is  of  a  pure-white 
color,  with  an  obscure  lilac  ring  around  one  end,  consisting 
of  fine   confluent  dots.     It  is  nearly  oval  in  form,  and 
averages  in  dimensions  about  1.30  inch  in  length  and  .98 
inch  in  breadth.     A  large  number  of  specimens  in  my  col- 
lection exhibit  a  variation  of  from  1.35  to  1.24  inch  in 
length,  and  from  1  inch  to  .80  inch  in  breadth.    These  oggs 
soon  become  discolored  and  dirty,  from  the  nature  of  the 
nest  and  the  habits  of  the  bird  ;  but  originally  they  are  pure- 
white.    Their  shell  is  exceedingly  fragile,  and  a  little  rough 
to  the  touch,  like  that  of  the  eggs  of  all  birds  of  this  class. 

THALASSIDROHA  WJLSOmi.  —  SonapaHe. 
Wilson's  Stormy  PetreL 

Proetttanapelagica,  Wilsoil.    Am.  Om.,  VIL  (1808)  90. 

Thalamdroma  WiUoniiy  Bonaparte.  Syn.  (1828),  No.  808.  Nntt.  Man.,  11. 
<1884)  824.  Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  IIL  (1836)  486;  V.  (1839)  646.  lb.,  Birda  Am.,  VIL 
(1844)  228. 

Oceanitu  WiUomi,  Bonaparte.    Cons.  Av.  II.  (1865)  199. 


IP' 


654 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


Description. 

The  general  color  of  the  plumage  is  dark  Booty-browni  primaries  and  tail  black- 
!5h-brown,  the  latter  Tvhite  at  the  base;  some  of  the  outer  secondanes  and  the 
secondary  coverts  grayish-ash,  ending  with  grayish-white;  rump,  sides  of  the  abdo- 
men and  exterior  lower  tail  covert.,  white;  bill  black;  iris  dark-brown;  tars,  and 
feet  black,  with  the  webs  yellow  except  at  the  margin. 

This  species  is  somewhat  smaller  than  T.  Leachii,  and  more  delicate  in  form;  Jie 
bill  is  much  weaker:  it  may  readily  be  distinguished  by  the  greater  proportion  of 
white  on  the  under  tail  coverts  and  on  the  sides  ac  the  base  i'  the  tail,  together  with 
its  much  longer  tarsi  and  yellow  webs ;  tail  nearly  even. 

Length,  seven  and  one-fourth  inches;  wing,  six;  tail,  three-quarters;  bill,  seven- 
twelfths  inch;  tarsus,  one  and  three-eighths  inch. 

ffai.  — Off  the  Atlantic  coast  from  t'    Gulf  of  Mexico  to  Baffin's  Bay. 

This  species  is  rare  on  our  coast,  and,  to  my  knowledge, 
does  not  breed  within  the  limits  of  New-England  shores. 
Audubon  says, — 

"  Wilson's  Petrel  breeds  on  some  small  islands  situated  off  the 
southern  extremity  of  Nova  Scotia,  called  '  Mud  Islands,'  but  which 
are  formed  of  sand  and  light  earth,  scantily  covered  with  grass. 

Thither  the  birds  re- 
sort in  great  numbers 
about  the  beginning  of 
June,  and  form  bur- 
rows of  the  depth  of 
two  or  two  and  a  half 
feet,  in  the  bottom  of 
which  is  laid  a  single 
white  egg ;  a  few  bits 
of  dry  grass,  scarcely 
deserving  the  name  of 
a  nest,  having  been  placed  for  its  reception.    The  egg  measures  an 
inch  and  a  half  in  length  by  seven-eighths  of  an  inch  in  breadth  ; 
is    almost    equally  rounded   at  both   ends.  ...  On   wing,   this 
species  is  more  lively  than  the  Forked-tailed,  but  less  so  than  the 
common  Stormy  Petrel.    Its  notes  are  different  from  that  of  tha 
Forked-tailed  Petrel,  and    resemble   the   syllables  kee-re-kee-kee. 
They  are  more  frequently  emitted  at  night  than  by  day." 


; 


I 


THE  GREAT  NORTHERN  DIVER. 


656 


laries  and  tail  black- 
secondaries  and  the 
p,  sides  of  the  abdo- 
irlt-brown;  tarsi  and 

delicate  in  form;  ',ne 
[reatcr  proportion  of 
Jie  tail,  together  with 

quarters ;  bill,  seven- 

(affln'B  Bay. 

my  knowledge, 
lugland  shores. 

1  situated  off  the 
slands/  but  which 
vered  with  grass, 
her  the  birds  re- 
in great  numbers 
it  the  beginning  of 
3,  and  form  bur- 
i  of  the  depth  of 
or  two  and  a  half 
,  in  the  bottom  of 
jh  is  laid  a  single 
te  egg ;  a  few  bits 
Iry  grass,  scarcely 
srving  the  name  of 
a  egg  measures  an 

inch  in  breadth ; 

.  On  wing,  this 
lut  less  so  than  the 
t  from  that  of  the 
bles  hee-re-kee-kee. 
in  by  day." 


Familt  COLYMBID-S:.    The  Diveks. 

Bill  more  or  less  long  and  compressed ;  the  nostrils  are  linear  or  rounded,  and 
situated  in  a  latiiral  groove;  tail  rudimentary  or  short;  tarsi  much  compressed;  an- 
terior toes  long,  with  the  interdigital  membrane  more  or  less  full,  the  outer  longest; 
hind  toe  short,  free,  with  a  hanging  lobe;  daws  broad,  depressed,  buried  in  tha 
body. 

The  species  are  remarkable  for  their  powers  of  swimming  and  diving:  their  eas« 
and  gracefulness  on  the  water  is  in  strong  contrast  with  their  awkwardness  on  land, 

The  following  are  the  characters  of  the  two  sub-families,  Colymbbta  and  Po<U- 
cipinas ;  — 

CoLYMBiN,B.  — Bill  long,  rather  strong,  much  compressed,  with  the  point  acute; 
nostrils  basal,  linear;  tarsi  much  compressed;  toes  long  and  webs  full;  tail  short; 
lores  feathered. 

PoDiciPiNA— Bill  genernlly  long  and  father  slender,  compressed  and  pointed; 
nostrils  situated  in  a  groove,  oblong  and  narrow;  tarsi  con, pressed;  toes  long  and 
broadly  lobed;  tail  wanting,  or  very  ruditaentary ;  lores  naked. 


Sub-Family  Coltmbin^. —  The  Loons. 

Bill  about  the  length  of  the  head,  rather  stout,  much  compressed,  and  acute; 
nostrils  basal,  linear,  and  pervious;  wings  of  medium  size,  narrow  and  pointed,  first 
quill  the  longest,  reaching  far  beyond  the  scapulars;  tail  short  and  rounded;  tarsi 
verj-  much  compressed;  entire  tarsi  and  base  of  toes  reticulated;  toes  long,  the  • 
anterior  ones  united  by  regular  webs,  the  claw  of  the  middle  twice  as  long  as  broad; 
hind  toe  short,  edged  with  a  narrow  membrane. 

These  birds  excel  all  others  in  their  rapidity  of  diving,  and  the  great  progress 
they  are  able  to  make  under  water.  Only  one  genus  in  this  sub-family  is  recognized 
by  authors. 

COLYMBUS,  LiNNiWJB. 

ColynibM,  LiMN^us,  Syst.  Nat.  (1785).    (Type  C.  artieus.) 

As  the  characters  of  the  sub-family  include  those  of  the  single  genus  Cdymbut,  it 
is  not  necessary  to  repeat  them. 

They  are  abundant  during  summer  in  the  high  northern  latitudes,  both  on  the 
seacoast  and  on  inland  lakes;  in  winter,  they  migrate  to 'the  South.  They  are  soli- 
Ury  in  their  habits,  keen-sighted,  and  very  difficult  of  approach:  their  flight  is 
ftrong,  rapid,  and  direct. 

COLTHBDS  TOBQUATUS.  — BrOnm'cA. 

The  Great  Borthem  Diver ;  the  Loon. 

Odymbus  glacialu,  Linnseus.  Syst.  Nat.,  \.  (1766)  221.  Wils.  Am.  Om.,  IX. 
(1824)  84.  Nutt.  Man.,  II.  (1884)  618.  Aud.  3m.  Biog.,  IV.  (1888)  48.  Jb.,  Birds 
Am.,  VU.  (1844)  282. 


556 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


Description. 
Bill  compressed,  strong  and  tapering,  outline  of  upper  mandible  nearly  straight, 
very  slightly  curved;  the  lower  mandible  has  a  groove  underneath,  running  from 
the  junction  of  the  crura  towards  the  point;  the  tail  consists  of  twenty  feathers. 

Adidt—The  head  and  neck  are  dark  bluish-green,  the  upper  part  and  Bide»  of     . 
the  head  glossed  with  purple;  there  is  a  small  trnnsvcrse  mark  on  the  throat,  com- 
posed of  white  feathers  of  a  quill-like  form,  distinct  from  each  oOicr,  and  placed  lon- 
gitudinally on  each  side  of  the  neck;  lower  down  are  larger  patches  of  white,  of  the 
same  peculiar  form,  and  running  in  the  same  direction;  these  almost  meet  bchmd, 
and  in  front  are  about  one  inch  apart;  the  effect  of  these  pure-white  feathers,  re- 
lieved by  the  dark  color  of  the  neck,  is  very  beautiful ;  the  upper  plumage  and  wing 
coverts  are  deep  glossv-black,  beautifully  marked  with  pure-white  spots,  placed  in 
regular  transverse  rows,  slightly  curving  downwards;  these  spots,  on  the  upper  part 
of  Uie  back,  are  small  and  nearly  round,  but,  as  they  descend  lower  on  the  back, 
increase  in  size,  and  become  quadrangular  in  form,  being  largest  on  the  scapularies; 
on  the  lower  part  of  the  back,  upper  tail  coverts,  and  sides  (which  are  black),  the 
gpots  are  small  and  round;  the  sides  of  the  neck,  near  the  shoulder,  are  beautifully 
lineated  with  black  and  white;  the  primaries,  secondaries,  and  tail,  brownish-black; 
the  under  surface  glossy-white,  with  a  narrow  band  of  dusky  feathers  crossing  the 
lower  part  of  the  abdomen,  and  marked  with  small  white  spots;  lower  tail  coverts 
blackish-brown,  tipped  with  white ;  bill  black;  iris  deep  bright-red;  tarsi  and  feet 
grayish-blue  externally,  tinged  on  the  inside  with  pale-yellowish  red ;  webs  brownish- 
black;  claws  black.  ,  ,     .     . 

Young.— The  plumage  above  is  grayish-black,  the  feathers  of  the  back  mar- 
gined with  grayish-white,  the  under  plumage  pure-white;  bill  yellowish,  with  the 
ridge  of  the  upper  mandible  dusky. 

Length,  thirty-one  inches;  wing,  fourteen;  tarsus,  three  and  a  quarter;  biU, 
three;  height  at  base,  one  inch. 

//ai.  — Very  generally  distributed;  it  is  abundant  on  the  Atlantic  coast,  in  the 
lakes  of  the  interior,  and  the  ftir  countries. 

THE  Great  Loon  is  a  rather  common  species  on  our  coast 
in  the  autumn  and  winter.  It  passes  the  season  of  re- 
production in  the  neighborhood  of  large  tracts  and  ponds  of 
fresh  water  in  the  interior,  where  it  nests,  about  the  middle 
of  June,  on  some  low  island,  or  in  meadows,  bordering  the 
lakes  where  it  collects  a  large  pile  of  grasses,  sods,  and 
weeds,  in  which  it  forms  a  hollow  of  from  fourteen  to  six- 
teen inches  in  diameter,  and  four  or  five  in  depth  ;  lining  it 
with  a  few  softer  grasses  and  pieces  of  moss,  if  such  are 
obtainable.  The  eggs  are  two  or  three  in  number.  They 
vary  in  shape  from  almost  exactly  oval,  usually  about  ovate 
and  occasionally  very  much  lengthened,  as  will  be  seen  by 
the  following  dimensions  of  four  specimens  from  different 


THE   RED-THROATED   DIVER. 


557 


lie  nearly  straight, 
ath,  running  front 
venty  feathers, 
part  and  sides  of 
rt  tlie  throat,  corn- 
ier, and  placed  lon- 
lies  of  white,  of  the 
most  meet  behind, 
white  feathers,  re- 
plumage  and  wing 
ite  spots,  placed  in 
I,  on  the  upper  part 
lower  on  the  back, 
on  the  Bcapularies ; 
lich  are  black),  the 
Idcr,  are  beautifully 
nil,  brownish-black; 
athers  crossing  the 
;  lower  tail  coverts 
■red;  tarsi  and  feet 
red ;  webs  brownish- 

8  of  the  back  mar- 
yellowish,  with  the 

ind  a  quarter;  bill, 

tlantic  coast,  in  the 

58  on  our  coast 
e  season  of  re- 
3  and  ponds  of 
out  the  middle 
,  bordering  the 
ses,  sods,  and 
jurteen  to  six- 
iepth ;  lining  it 
188,  if  such  are 
lumber.  They 
Lily  about  ovate 
rill  bo  seen  by 
}  from  different 


localities  in  Maine :  3.67  by  2.35,  3.85  by  2.15,  3.50  by 
2.25,  3.50  by  2.25  inches.  Their  color  is  an  olivaceous- 
brown,  sometuues  an  olivaceous-drab;  and  one  specimen  is 
of  a  reddish-brown,  with  but  a  slight  olivaceous  tint.  This 
primary  color  is  sparingly  marked  with  small  spots  and  a 
few  larger  blotches  of  blackish  or  very  dark-brown.  The 
Umbagog  Lakes,  in  Maine,  are  a  favorite  breeding  locality 
of  this  species ;  and  sometimes  several  pairs  may  be  found, 
within  a  hundred  rods  of  each  other,  engaged  in  the  duties 
of  incubation.  When  the  nest  is  approached,  the  sitting 
bird  silently  leaves  it ;  and,  gliding  through  the  grass,  drops 
into  the  water ;  and,  diving,  swims  below  the  surface  to  a 
considerable  distance  from  the  shore,  where,  appearing 
above  it,  she  attentively  watches  the  intruder. 

The  nest  is  built  only  a  short  distance  from  the  water, 
and  is  approached  in  different  directions  by  paths  through 
the  grass,  beaten  by  the  birds,  or  sometimes  by  muskrats 
in  their  approaches  to  their  winter  homes.  I  once  heard  of 
one  of  these  Loons  forming  its  nest  in  the  top  of  an  aban- 
doned muskrat's  nest,  and  of  another  that  placed  it  in  the 
top  of  a  low  stump  of  a  pine.  Usually,  it  is  laid  on  the  mud 
or  earth,  in  thick  grass  or  weeds. 

COLTMBUS    SBPTENTEIONAUS.  — iinnonw. 
The  Bed-throated  Diver. 
Colymbiu  SeptentrionaUt,  Nuttall.    Man.,  II.  (1834)  519.    Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  HI. 
(1888)  20 ;  V.  (1839)  625.     lb.,  Birds  Am.,  VII.  (1844)  299. 

Desckittion. 
Adult  — Trout,  sides  of  the  head,  upper  part  of  the  throat,  and  sides  of  the  neck, 
clear  bluish-gray;  upper  part  of  the  head  of  the  same  color,  intermixed  with  black- 
ish spots;  the  hind  neck  streaked  longitudinally  with  white  on  a  greenish-blflck 
ground,  the  white  featliers  being  raised  above  the  others;  on  the  lorepart  of  the 
neck  is  a  large  longitudinal  patch  of  deep  reddish-brown ;  upper  plumage  brownish- 
black,  slightly  tinged  with  green,  and  on  the  upper  part  of  the  back  and  lower  part 
and  sides  of  the  neck  streaked  and  mottled  with  white;  wings  and  tail  brownish- 
black  ;  under  plumage  pure-white,  with  a  band  across  the  hind-part  of  the  abdomen, 
and  the  lower  tail  coverts,  brownish-gray ;  bill  bluish-black;  iris  bright-red ;  tarsi 
and  feet  brownish-black  externally,  on  the  inside  pale  flesh-color;  claws  yellowish 
at  the  base,  dusky  at  the  end. 


1 1 


V^^K^WSioTV 


658 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


Toung. — Upper  part  of  the  head  and  hind-neck  dull-gray,  streaked  with  p-ayish- 
■white;  back  and  winga  blackish-gray,  profusely  marked  with  oval-shaped  white 
spots,  there  being  two  on  each  feather,  smallest  on  the  upper  part  of  the  back  and 
largest  on  the  tertiaries ;  quill  feathers  and  tail  blackish-brown,  the  latter  edged 
with  white;  sides  of  the  neck  white,  speckled  minutely  with  gray;  under  plumage 
silky-white,  crossed  on  the  lower  part  of  the  abdomen  by  a  dusky  band ;  bill  bluiah- 
gray,  dusky  on  the  ridge  and  flesh-colored  at  the  base. 

Length,  twentj'-seven  inches;  wing,  eleven  and  a  half;  tail,  two  and  a  half;  bill, 
two  and  a  quarter;  tars'^s,  two  and  three-quarters  inches. 

Hab.  — During  the  >,  liters  as  far  south  as  Maryland;  inhabits  as  far  north  as  the 
arctic  seas;  found  also  on  the  Pacific  coast. 

This  bird,  although  pretty  common  on  our  coast  during 
the  winter,  is  much  more  northern  in  its  breeding  habits 
tlian  the  Loon;  seldom  passing  the  season  of  incubation 
south  of  Labrador,  where  it  begins  to  lay  early  in  June. 
The  nests  are  placed  on  small  islands  in  fresh-water  ponds, 
a  short  distance  from  the  sea.  "  These  nests  consist  merely 
of  a  few  blades  of  rank  grasses  loosely  put  together,  and 
are  quite  flat,  without  any  down  to  warm  or  conceal  the 
eggs  at  any  period  of  incubation."  They  are  placed  \.'ithin 
a  few  feet  of  the  water,  and  are  approaclied  by  well-beaten 
paths,  like  those  of  the  preceding.  The  eggs  are  usually 
three  in  number.  They  exactly  resemble  those  of  the 
Loon  in  form,  color,  and  markings,  but  are  much  smaller ; 
varying  from  3  to  2.65  inches  in  length,  and  from  1.90 
to  1.76  inch  in  breadth. 


Sul-Family  PodicipiNjE. —  The   Grebes. 

Bill  generally  long,  compressed  on  the  sides,  and  pointed;  lores  usually  naked; 
/lostrils  placed  in  a  groove,  oblong  and  narrow.  Wings  short,  the  second  qnill 
longest,  shorter  than  the  scapulars;  the  tail  is  represented  by  a  tuft  of  downy  feath- 
ers; tarsi  much  compressed  and  rather  short;  toes  long,  the  outer  longest,  broadly 
and  evenly  lobed,  most  so  on  the  inner  side;  claws  short,  broad,  and  obtuse;  tarsi 
with  plates  on  the  sides,  in  front  with  a  single,  behind  with  a  double,  longitudinal 
series  of  projecting  scales;  toes  and  their  lobes  plated  above. 

The  plumage  is  very  soft,  and  on  the  under  surface  silky:  they  are  remarkably 
active  on  the  water,  and  when  alarmed  remain  below  the  surface,  exposing  only 
the  bill. 


THE  RED-NECKED   GREBE. 


659 


iked  with  grayish- 
>val-shapcd  white 
t  of  the  back  and 
the  latter  edged 
y  \  under  plumage 
band ;  bill  bluish- 

o  and  a  half;  bill, 

as  far  north  as  the 

coast  during 
eeding  habits 
)f  incubation 
irly  in  June, 
-water  ponds, 
onsist  naerely 
together,  and 
:  conceal  the 
placed  \.ithin 
)y  well-beaten 
8  are  usually 
those  of  the 
auch  smaller ; 
id  from  1.90 


jres  usually  naked; 
t,  the  second  quill 
uft  of  downy  feath- 
ter  longest,  broadly 
J,  and  obtuse ;  tarsi 
iouble,  longitudinal 

ley  are  remarkably 
-face,  exposing  only 


PODICEPS,  Latham. 

Podicrps,  Latham,  Ind.  Omith.  (1790),  780.  (Type  Cohjmhus  criitatut,  I,.) 
Bill  long,  slender,  tapering,  and  pointed ;  nostrils  situated  in  a  groov",  email, 
linear,  and  pervious;  wings  short  and  narrow,  second  primary  a  little  the  longest, 
emarginatc  near  the  ends;  tail  a  tuft  of  loose  feathers ;  tarsi  short,  much  compressed, 
the  edges  covered  with  small  scutellw,  and  the  sides  with  broad  transverse  scutelln;; 
toes  long,  the  outer  longest,  flattened,  with  the  sides  lobcd,  the  most  on  the  inner 
side,  and  at  the  base  united  by  webs;  hind  toe  short  and  broadly  lobcd,  claws  small, 
depressed,  and  obtuse. 

These  birds  mostly  frequent  the  fresh-water  rivers  and  interior  lakes ;  but  they  are 
also  found  near  the  seacoast.  They  are  very  expert  swimmers,  but  make  progress 
with  great  difficulty  on  land ;  their  flight  is  rapid  and  direct.  In  the  breeding  season, 
the  head  is  ornamented  with  rufl"8  and  elongated  tufts,  which  disappear  when  they 
assume  their  winter  garb. 


PODICEPS   GBISEIGEHA.  —  Gray. 

The  Bed-necked  Grebe. 

Podiceja  rubrieottis,  Nuttall.  Man.,  II.  (1834)  253.  Aud.  Om.  Biog.,  IIL  (1835) 
617;  V.  (1839)  620.     lb.,  Birds  Am.,  VII.  (1844)  312. 

Description. 

.4rfuft.  — Upper  plumage  blackish-brown,  with  the  upper  part  of  the  head  and 
hind-neck  black ;  primaries  ashy-brown,  secondaries  mostly  white,  a  few  of  the  inner 
ones  dark-ash;  cheeks  and  throat  ash-gray;  a  white  line  extends  from  the  lower 
mandible  under  and  beyond  the  eye;  forepart  and  sides  of  the  neck  rich  brownish- 
red;  lower  parts  silvery- white,  with  the  sides  dusky;  bill  black,  paler  at  the  end, 
and  bright-yellow  at  the  base ;  iris  carmine ;  tarsi  and  feet  externally  greenidi  black, 
internally  yellow. 

Young.  —  The  upper  plumage  is  blackish-brown,  darker  on  the  head ;  throat  and 
abdomen  white;  sides  of  the  head  and  forepart  of  neck  brownish-ash;  abdomen 
wlky-white;  sides  dark  brownish-ash ;  bill  bright-yellow. 

Length  about  eighteen  inches;  wing,  seven;  bill,  one  and  three-quarters;  tarsi, 

two  inches. 

Hob.  —Fur  countries  and  in  the  Atlantic  States,  as  far  south  as  Pennsylvania,  in 

winter. 

The  Red-necked  Grebe  is  common  on  our  coast  in  winter, 
where  it  is  commonly  called  "  The  Diver,"  from  its  habit  of 
diving  at  the  flash  of  a  gun.  It  feeds,  like  all  other  birds 
of  this  family,  on  small  fishes  and  marine  animals,  which  it 
obtains  by  diving ;  and  such  is  its  expertiiess  and  powers 
of  endurance  in  this  respect,  that  I  have  known  it  to  remain 
certainly  a  miri^^.e  beneath  the  surface,  if  not  longer.    It  is 


n^tm 


W^^ 


m 


660 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOGY. 


Bhy,  and  difficult  of  approach ;  and,  when  apprehending 
danger,  it  immerses  its  body,  and  swims  with  nothing  but 
its  head  above  the  surface.  This  trick  I  have  noticed  in 
other  allied  species ;  and  it  is,  I  think,  common  in  all  birds 
of  this  class.  It  breeds  in  the  most  northern  portions  of 
the  continent,  where  it  forms  the  same  kind  of  nest  "  as 
that  of  the  Crested  Grebe,  and  lays  three  or  four  eggs." 
Audubon  describes  an  egg  in  his  possession  as  being  two 
inches  in  length  by  one  and  a  quarter  inch  in  breadth,  and 
of  a  uniform  pale  greenish-white. 


FOBICEFS    CBIS'IA.IVS.— Latham. 
The  Crested  Grebe. 
Podkep,  crUtatm,  Nuttall.    Man,  IL  (1834)  250.    Aud.  Om.  Biog,  IIL  (1836) 
696.     lb..  Birds  Am,  VIL  (1844)  308. 

Desckiption. 
^dttJt.- Front,  upper  part  of  the  head,  and  long  occipital  tufts  dark  umber- 
brown,  the  base  of  the  tufts  brownish-red;  the  ruff  is  bright  brownish-red  on  the 
upper  portion  immediately  under  the  tufts  and  anteriorly,  on  the  hind-part  brownish- 
black;  upper  plumage  dark  umber-brown;  humeral  feathers  white;  pnmanes  umber- 
brown;  secondaries  mostly  white;  throat  and  sides  of  the  head  white;  forepart 
and  sides  of  the  neck  adjoining  the  ruff  brownish-red ;  under  plumage  sil very-white; 
sides  dusky,  tinged  with  reddish-brown;  bill  blackish-brown,  tinged  with  carmine; 
bare  loral  space  dusky-green;  iris  bright^armine ;  tarsi  and  feet  greenish-black 
externally,  greenish-yellow  internally;  webs  grayish-blue.  ^.       . 

Young  -Upper  part  of  head  dark-brown;  hind-neck  brownish-gray;  back  and 
wings  brownish-black;  humeral  feathers  white;  primaries  dark  umber-brown  on  the 
outer  webs,  paler  on  the  inner;  lower  parts  silvery-white,  sides  brown;  upper  man- 
dible brownish-black,  pale  at  the  end,  and  yellow  on  the  sides  at  the  base;  lower 
mandible  yellow,  with  the  sides  dusky. 

Length,  twenty-three  and  one-half  inches;  wing,  seven  and  three-quarters,  bUl, 
two  and  one-sixteenth;  tarsus,  two  and  a  half  inches. 

This  is  not  uncommon  as  a  summer  resident  in  northern 
New  England;  and,  according  to  Mr.  George  A.  Boardman, 
it  breeds  about  the  lakes  in  the  neighborhood  of  Calais, 
Me.  The  nest  is  placed  in  a  retired  spot,  in  a  swamp  or 
marsh,  near  the  water;  and  is  constructed,  according  to  Dr. 
Richardson,  of  "  a  large  quantity  of  grass,  placed  among 
the  reeds  and  carices."     The  eggs  »re  generally  four  in 


^prehending 
nothing  but 
3  noticed  in 
in  all  birds 
portions  of 
of  nest  "  as 
four  eggs." 
18  being  two 
Dreadth,  and 


Biog.,  in.  (1836) 


ufts  dark  umber- 
wnish-red  on  the 
nd-part  brownish- 
;  primaries  umber- 
id  white;  forepart 
age  silvery-white; 
ged  with  cormine; 
Jet  greenish-black 

ih-gray;  back  and 
nber-brown  on  the 
rown;  upper  man- 
at  the  base ;  lower 

liree-quarters ;  bill, 


t  in  northern 
i.  Boardman, 
lod  of  Calais, 
n  a  swamp  or 
lording  to  Dr. 
placed  among 
erally  four  in 


THE   HORNED   GREBE. 


561 


number.  They  are,  when  first  laid,  of  a  white  color ;  but 
they  quickly  become  dirty  and  stained  by  the  habits  of  the 
bird  and  the  nature  of  the  nest.  They  are  of  an  ovoidal 
form,  and  average  about  2.16  by  1.48  inch  in  dimensions. 

PODICEPS    COENTJTDS.  —  iaMnm. 

The  Horned  Orebe. 

Pod'iceps  eomutui,  Nuttall.  Man.,  11.  (1834)  254.  Aud.  Orn.  Biog.,  III.  (1835) 
429;  V.  (1839)  623.    lb.,  Birds  Am.,  VII.  (1844)  818. 

Debcription. 

Adult.  —  Upper  part  of  the  head,  chepks,  throat,  and  ruff,  glossy-black ;  a  broad 
band  running  from  the  bill  over  the  eyes,  and  the  elongated  occipital  tufts  behind 
them,  yellowish-red,  deepest  in  color  adjoining  the  bill ;  upper  surface  brownish-black ; 
the  feathers  margined  with  gray;  primaries  brownish-ash;  secondaries  mostly  white, 
some  of  the  outer  one  dark-ash;  the  fore -neck  and  upper  part  of  the  breast  bright 
chestnut-red,  sides  of  the  same  color,  intermixed  with  dusky;  abdomen  silky-white; 
bill  bluish-black,  yellow  at  the  tip;  loral  space  bright-carmine;  iris  carmine,  with  an 
inner  circle  of  white;  tarsi  and  feet  dusky-gray  externally,  dull-yellow  internally, 
and  on  both  edges  of  the  tarsus. 

Young.  —  The  whole  upper  plumage  grayish-black,  darkest  on  the  head,  feather* 
of  the  back  with  gray  margins;  throat,  sides  of  the  head,  a  broad  space  on  the  sides 
of  the  neck,  nearly  meeting  behind,  breast,  and  abdomen,  silvery- white;  sides  and 
lower  part  of  abdomen  dusky. 

Length,  about  fourteen  inches;  wing,  five  and  three-quarters;  bill,  one;  tar«i, 
one  and  three-quarters  inch. 

Hab.  —  Generally  distributed  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific  coast. 

The  Horned  Grebe  is  not  uncommon  in  our  lakes  end 
rivers,  and  in  the  waters  on  our  coast,  in  the  spring  and 
autumn.  It  breeds  in  more  northern  localities  than  New 
England,  but  is  not  invariably  an  arctic  breeder.    Audubon 

says, — 

"  Although  the  greater  number  of  these  birds  go  far 
northward  to  breed,  some  remain  within  the  limits  of  the 
United  States  during  the  whole  year;  rearing  their  young  on 
the  borders  of  ponds,  particularly  in  the  northern  parts  of 
the  State  of  Ohio,  in  the  vicinity  of  Lake  Erie.  Two  nests 
which  I  found  were  placed  at  a  distance  of  about  four  yards 
from  the  water's  edge,  on  the  top  of  broken-down  tussocks 

86 


i 


562 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


of  rank  weeds;  the  materials  of  which  they  were  com- 
posed of  the  same  nature,  and  rudely  interwoven  to  a 
height  of  upwards  of  seven  inches.  They  were  rather 
more  than  a  foot  in  diameter  at  the  base  ;  the  cavity  only 
four  inches  across,  shallow,  but  more  finished  with  finer 
plants,  of.  which  a  quantity  lay  on  the  borders,  and  was 
probably  used  by  the  bird  to  cover  the  eggs  when  about  to 
leave  them.  There  were  five  eggs  in  one  nest,  seven  m 
the  other.  They  measured  one  inch  and  three-quarters 
in  length  by  one  inch  and  two  and  a  half  eighths.  Their 
shell  was  smooth,  and  of  a  uniform  yellowish-cream  color, 
without  spots  or  marks  of  arty  kind." 

A  single  egg  in  my  collection,  from  Wisconsin,  is  of  an 
ovoidal  form;  measures  1.85  by  1.20  inch  in  dimensions. 
It  is  of  a  dirty-white  color,  the  shell  being  covered  by  a 
calcareous  deposit.  On  scraping  this,  the  shell  is  of  a 
bluish-white  tint. 


PODILYMBUS,  Lesson. 


(Type    Colymbui  podi- 


Podilffmbui,  Lesson,  Traite   d'Omith.   (1881),  696. 

*^BiU  Lrter  than  the  head,  snout  much  compressed;  the  culmen  much  curved  to 
the  tin  which  is  acute;  nostrils  situated  in  the  anterior  part  of  a  broad  groove,  oval 
^d^is ,  wings  s'hort,  second  quill  longest,  the  outer  quills  e-argmate  at  «>e 
end- tail  a  tuft  of  downy  feathers,  tarsi  short,  and  very  much  compressed;  anterior 
rs' long,  flattened,  the  outer  longest,  and  broadly  margined,  the  inner  sides  the 
most,  Und  toe  short  and  moderately  lobed;  claws  smaU,  depressed,  oblong,  and 
obtuse 

PODUiTMBUS  PODICEPS.— iai«-«nc«. 
The  Pied-bill  Onbe. 

ColymbMpodictp$,  Linnasus.    8.  N.  (1766),  228.  ^,  „  m  naM\ 

pXp*  Mnewi.,  Nuttall.    Man.,  IL  (1884)  269.   Aud.  Om.  Biog,  HI.  (1888) 
869;  V.  (1889)  624.    lb.,  Birds  Am.,  VIL  (1844)  824. 

Dbbcbiption. 
>ld«Zt.-Upperplumag*.  very  dark  brown;  primaries  dark-ash;  secondaries  ash 
on  the  outer  weVs,  and  whi.'^  on  the  inner ;  hUl  pale-blue,  dusky  on  *e  "dge  of  tt.e 
^pper  mandible,  both  mandibles  crossed  with  a  broad  black  band,  mcluing  the  nos- 
S  cto  and  throat  marked  with  a  conspicuous  black  patch  nearly  two  mches  m 
«teLf  cheeks  and  sides  of  the  neck  brownish-gray;  lower  part  of  the  neck,  upper 


'  were  com- 
•wovou  to  a 
were  rather 
e  cavity  only 
id  with  finer 
Brs,  and  was 
rhen  about  to 
lest,  seven  in 
hree-quarters 
jhths.  Their 
i-cream  color, 

nsin,  is  of  an 

1  dimensions. 

covered  by  a 

shell  is  of  a 


-pe   CMymbui  podi- 

nen  much  curved  to 
I  broad  groove,  oval 
Is  emarginate  at  the 
lompressed;  anterior 
the  inner  sides  the 
iresBed,  oblong,  and 


THE  PIED-BILL  OHEBE. 


563 


part  of  the  breast,  and  the  sides,  dull  rusty-bruwn,  spotted  and  rather  indis- 
tinctly burred  with  brownisli-black;  lower  part  of  breast  and  abdomen  grayish- 
white,  mottled  with  dusliy  spots;  iris  brown;  tarsi  and  feet  grayidh-blaelt. 

Yoimg.  —  The  throat  is  white  and  the  bill  without  the  transverse  Mack  band,  the 
under  plumage  more  silvery-white;  in  other  respects  the  same  as  the  adult;  some 
specimens,  probably  the  birds  of  the  year,  have  whitish  lines  on  the  sides  of  the 
head. 

Length,  fourteen  inches;  wing,  five  and  a  quarter;  bill,  seven-eighths;  tarsus, 
one  and  a  half  inch. 

/7(i&.  —  Atlantic  States  generally;  Texas  and  New  Mexico;  California  and 
Oregon. 

This  is  the  most  common  Grebe  in  New  England,  where 
it  is  a  summer  resident.  It  undoubtedly  breeds  in  all  these 
States,  as  it  is  frequently  taken  in  the  breeding  season ;  but 
its  nest,  owing  to  the  secluded  habits  of  the  bird,  is  very 
rarely  found.  It  is  described  as  being  similar  to  that  of  the 
preceding  species.  The  eggs,  five  in  number,  are  covered 
with  a  calcareous  deposit,  which  gives  them  a  dirty  yellow- 
ish-white color :  on  scraping  this  off,  the  shell  beneath  has 
a  bluish-white  tint.  The  form  of  the  egg  is  exactly  ovoidal. 
Specimens  in  my  collection,  from  Illinois,  measure  about 

2.17  inches  in  length  by  1.45  inch  in  their  greatest  breadth. 
Another,  from  Wisconsin,  is  only  1.95  inch  in  length,  and 

1.18  inch  at  its  greatest  breadth. 


I# 


3ni.Biog.,in.(1886) 


-ash;  secondaries  ash 
ty  on  the  ridge  of  the 
nd,  including  the  no»- 
nearly  two  inches  in 
irt  of  the  neck,  upper 


s:»s0  ssTji  •istu ,  .'' 


564 


ORNITHOLOGY   AND  OOLOGY. 


Fajult  ALCIDiE. 

BPl  without  lamoUa,  along  the  edges,  «ua«y  .horter  than  th.  '7/';;";J:;^"'^f; 

Ur0.rn"  I.  .W,  boml  ™.ld.nc.,  U..,  »•  liul.  kn-n^  .»d  »..,.!  .[«.« 
doubtless  yet  remain  to  be  discovered. 

Sub-Family  Aj^cisx.— The  AuJc$. 
ALGA,  Lms^us. 

o'n^'/.:;:  s\!;r  bro*;d;"„Tstrong,  wing,  short,  Uil  short,  bill  about  « 
longrthe  heTd.  feathered  at  base,  much  flattened  laterally,  wider,  and  somewhat 
Ti  ^  «t  th«  end-  upper  mandible  with  oblique  transverse  grooves;  wmgs  short 
''^^:::i:t^:tr:!^!^^^-,  leg.  and  feet  short  and  strong,  t.es  fully  webbed. 

ALOA  TOBDA.  — I»nn«M. 
The  Busor-bllled  Auk. 
Aka  U>rda,  Llnn«us.    Syst.  Nat,  L  (1758)  180.    Aud.  Cm.  Biog,  HI.  (1836) 

112,   V.  428. 

Dkbcbiption. 

.»    u        II.,  rt«n  the  nrecedinK,  general  form  short  and  heavy,  bill  rather 

,onrdtsXtathtd\*  aL  2^^^^^^^ 

long,  densely  leauiereu  ,  .^  ^  fy^j  transverse  grooves, 

curved  transverse  grooves,  ""^J  ""/^^^^^^^^^^^  ^e  middle  of  the  commissun,,  and 
feathers  on  side  "^ "PP%J«':^f;''';"f  J"^  L°lde«^^  pointed,  tail  short,  gradu- 
rd'Jh'e^^dlirrS^^^  le'^  short,  strong,  a  narrow 

ated,  «'">  "  .«J"  "  . .         ^^^^  gide  from  the  base  of  the  upper  mandible  to 

but  very  f  ^"•^i^'^^jlj^^*'^  °^  '^^^  brownish-black,  more  clearly  brown  on  the 
fhlTanS  nick  in  ^U  Z!ZL  on  the  back ,  secondary  quills  narrowly  tippo.d 
SwhUe,  entire  under'  parts  white,  biU  black,  with  a  single  transverse  band  of 

^ZSX:^^::^^^.  wing,  eight  to  eight  ahdahalf,  tail,  tbree 
winter  to  New  Jersey,  also,  arctic  regions  of  Old  World, 


hcn<l,  compressed, 
nibrane;  hind  toe 
laws  higher  thaa 

e  absence  of  hind 
i  other  cliaractcts. 
ling  southward  in 
ind  several  specie* 


hort;  bill  about  as 
der,  and  somewhat 
ooves;  wings  short 
oes  fully  webbed. 


n.  Biog.,  ni.  (1886) 

I  heavy;  bill  rather 
ble  with  three  to  five 
transverse  grooves; 
the  commissure,  and 
•d;  tail  short,  gradu- 
rt,  strong;  a  narrow 
e  upper  mandible  to 
clearly  brown  on  the 
luills  narrowly  tipped 
a  transverse  bund  of 

abd  a  half;  tail,  three 

kbrador,  and  south  in 


TUE  RAZOn-BILLED   AUK. 


m 


This  well-known  species  is  very  abunilnnt  on  the  north-eaKlem  consts  of  North 
America,  and  appenrs  to  be  quite  identical  with  the  bird  of  tbr  iiortliern  regions  of 
tlie  Old  World.  It  wiinders  wiutliwnrdly  in  tlio  winter,  and  i^  (KcnuiunBlly  noticed 
on  the  coa^its  of  the  Middle  States  on  the  Atlantic.  Tliis  biril  may  always  be  recog. 
nizcd  by  the  coniipicuous  white  lino  in  front  of  the  eye,  which  is  present  in  all  ages 
and  stages  of  plumage. 

THIS  species  visits  our  coasts,  in  small  numbers  only,  in 
the  winter  months.  It  breeds  in  the  most  northern  por- 
tions of  the  continent,  tho  nearest  brcedinp-plaoo  to  New 
England  being  tho  islands  in  tho  Bay  of  Fiindy.  Andii- 
bon,  in  describing  tho  breeding  habits  of  this  bird,  says, — 

"  When  the  Auks  deposit  their  eggs  along  with  tlio  Guillemots, 
which  they  sometimes  do,  they  drop  them  in  spots  from  wliicli  the 
water  can  escape  without  injuring  them:  but  wlien  they  breed  in 
deep  fissures,  which  is  more  frequently  the  case,  many  of  tliem  lie 
close  together ;  and  the  eggs  are  deposited  on  small  beds  of  pebbles 
or  broken  stones,  raised  a  couple  of  inches  or  more  to  let  the  water 
pass  beneath  them.  When  they  lay  their  eggs  in  such  a  horizontal 
cavern,  you  find  them  scattered  at  tho  distance  of  a  few  inches 
from  each  other :  and  there,  as  well  as  in  the  fissures,  they  sit  flat 
upon  them,  —  like  Ducks,  for  example;  whereas,  on  an  exposed 
rock,  each  bird  stands  almost  upright  upon  its  egg.  Another  thing, 
quite  as  curious,  which  I  observed,  is  that,  while  in  exposed  situa- 
tions, the  Auk  seldom  lays  more  than  one  egg ;  yet,  in  idnces  of 
greater  security,  I  have,  in  many  instances,  found  two  under  a  &in 
gle  bird.  The  eggs  measure  at  an  average  3  J  by  2 J  inches,  and 
are  generally  pure-white,  greatly  blotched  with  dark-brown  or 
black ;  the  spots  generally  forming  a  circle  towards  the  larger  end. 
They  differ  considerably  from  those  of  the  Common  and  Thick- 
billed  Guillemots,  being  less  blunted  at  the  smaller  end." 

It  is  a  matter  of  great  difficulty  to  distinguish  the  eggs 
of  this  species  from  those  of  the'Murre  and  Foolish  Guille- 
mot. In  a  large  number  of  each  in  my  collection,  I  can 
discover  no  characteristic  peculiar  to  either  so  persistent 
as  to  distinguish  it.  The  exception  noted  by  Audubon,  of 
the  small  end  being  less  sharpened  than  the  others,  is 


nfilWBBM 


666 


ORNITHOLOOY   AND  OOLOGY. 


the  principal  •.  yot  this  is  not  invariable,  ami  it  cannot  bo 
dopondod  upon  as  a  Buro  moons  of  idontificatioD. 

MOnMON,  luJOKB. 

u.uaUy  longcrt,  Uil  .hort;  leg.  .h..rti  toei,  tl.r«o  only,  d.rectcd  forw.rU.. 
Zg.  fully  webbed,  cUw.  large,  curved,  plumage  very  compact. 


MOBIION  ABOTICA.- 
The  Pnffln. 


■  nUgtr. 


Mcaarctica,Unnmn».    Sy.t.  Nat,  I.  (1766)  211. 
lform^arc(.ca,Illiger.    Prod.  (1811).    Aud.  Om.  Diog.,  III.  105. 

DESCRirnoN. 

Smaller  than  either  of  tl.e  preceding,  but  much  resembling  the  two  la«t  .pecle. 

1„  fom  and  color,  a  -hort,  blunt  process  over  each  eye,  and  a  narrow  tran.vcn^e 

IZ under  t;  bill  much  flattened  laterally,  homy,  upper  mand.ble  compo.  d  of 

process  unaer  I,  ^.^^^  ^.^^^^  ^p„,,  ^,  ^,ra„u)ations, 

T  ':r; a^w  S/lut  Vunrr;ed  ndgos  at  its  base,  and  two  or  three  curved 
„.rm,na    part  ^'•''  '''3  ,^,  ^^„jii,,«  ,n.ooth  at  base,  and  with  about 

dccend.ng  K'""^"' "«";';„"' ;Xr  short  and  weak,  tail  short;  legs  and  feet 
T  '^rroTw  ck  u„i  i^g  :fth  t  -me  color  of  the  upper  parts  of  the  body, 
strong,  throat  ^ack-  """'"K  ,s,  from  the  throat,  white, 

'TTtirtiTgeTwiL    sC^^^^^^^^  entire  upp!r  parts  (and  throat)  brown- 

SlTck'Ser  ad  Centlv  clear  black  on  the  back,  head  above  frequently 
dtk  asf.;  separ  ted  by  a  welWeflned  line  from  the  black  of  the  other  upper  parts , 
J  1  anSor  ^K-yelL,  s.u.s,  under  the  wings,  ashy-black,  ins  l^^h  -bhje. 

Total  length,  about  twelve  «d  a  half  inches,  wing,  seven  and  a  half,  tad,  two 
and  three-quarters  inches. 

This  bird  is  not  uncommon  on  the  coast  of  northern  New 
England  as  a  winter  visitor,  and  a  few  breed  on  the  islands 
about  Grand  Monan.  The  nest '•  :  >.c  .  in  a  burrow  m  the 
earth,  dug  by  the  birds.  "  In  al^  !bo  btirr-ws  that  c  m-nti- 
nicate  with  each  other,  a  roun(  p.uco  Is f.,. oped  out  on  one 
Bide  of  the  avenue  in  the  form  of  an  oven ;  while,  in  those 
which  are  single,  this  ovenlike  place  is  found  at  the  end. 
All  the  passages  are  flattish  above  and  rounded  beneath,  as 


t  cannot  be 
/ion. 


diving  with  great 
:,  much  flattened 
IHcly  rug<i»e  mul 
\^^e  of  and  in  the 
•  weak,  flmt  (\Mi 
forwarda,  rather 

2t. 


THIS  flUILLEMOT. 


667 


well  as  on  tho  sltlou.  In  many  Instances,  two  birds  aro 
found  sitting  oacll  on  its  egg  in  tl>o  sanio  liolo.  Hotli  birds 
work  in  digging  tlio  holo,  uwing  tlioir  bills  and  foot:  tlioy 
also  Hit  altornatoly  on  their  ogg,  altliough  llio  fomalo  engages 
more  industriously  in  this  occupation,  while  tho  mule  labors 
liardtir  at  tho  burrow.  But  one  egg  is  laid  :  this  is  at  first 
pure-whito ;  but  it  soon  bocomcs  soiled  and  stained,  and 
appears  to  bo  a  dirty  yoUowish-whito.  Its  form  is  a  puro 
ovoidal.  A  number  of  sjjecimons  in  my  collection  aro  from 
2.48  to  2.30  inches  in  length,  and  from  1.70  to  1.65  inch  in 
thoir  greatest  breadth.  Somo  specimens  are  marked  with 
spots  and  blotches  of  brownish-rod,  — tho  proportion  of 
marked  ones  being  about  two  in  fivo. 


105. 


the  two  laat  ipeclei 
narrow  tranivorne 
idiblo  composed  of 
nts  or  granulations, 
wo  or  Uireo  curved 
n»e,  and  with  about 
hort;  legs  and  feet 
parti  of  the  body; 
n  the  throat,  white, 
and  throat)  brown- 
id  above  frequently 
le  other  upper  parts; 
;  iris  light-blue, 
uid  a  half;  tail,  two 

■  northern  New 
on  the  islands 
1  burrow  in  the 
ys  that  0  m^n- 
iped  out  on  one 
while,  in  those 
md  at  the  end. 
ded  beneath,  as 


Sub-Family  URiNiB.  —  The   GuiUemot$. 

URIA,  MoBiiniso. 

Urin,  MoKRHiNO,  At.  Gen.  (1752).  (Typo  Colymhut  ffryUt,  L.) 
General  form  short  and  robust;  head  moderate;  bill  rather  long,  straight,  some- 
what compressed,  pointed,  angle  of  the  under  mandible  distinct ;  nostrils  in  a  groove 
at  base  of  upper  mandible,  the  membrane  of  which  is  covered  with  short  velvet-like 
feathers;  wings  short,  pointed ;  tail  short;  legs  short  and  robust;  tarsus  shorter  than 
the  middle  toe,  compressed  ;  toes  rather  long,  fully  webbed;  claws  rather  strong, 
curved. 

USIA  QiVZU,'&.  —  Latham, 
The  OuUlemot. 

Aka  gryUe,  Llnnasus.    Syst.  Nat.,  I.  (1768)  ISO. 

Uria  grj^e,  Audubon.    Orn.  Biog.,  III.  (1835)  148;  V.  627. 

DEBCRH'nON. 

# 

Bill  straight,  pointed;  wing  rather  short,  weak;  first  quill  longest;  tail  short; 
a  large  oval  transverse  space  on  the  wing  white,  which  is  also  the  color  of  the  under 
wing  coverts  and  axillary  feathers,  outer  edge  of  the  wing  and  shoulder  brownish- 
black;  all  other  parts  of  the  plumage  brownish-black,  with  a  greenish  tinge,  and 
darker  on  the  back;  bill  black  ;  feet  red. 

rounder.  — Under  parts,  neck,  and  rump,  white ;  head  above  and  back  dark- 
Drown;  large  space  of  white  on  the  wing. 

Total  length,  about  thirteen  inches;  wing,  six  and  half;  tail,  two  inches. 


liiiiiiliiiii 


668 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND   OOLOGY. 


This  species  id  pretty  abundant  on  our  coasts ;  and  it  is 
said  to  breed  on  rocky  islands,  from  Mount  Desert  eastward. 
It  can  therefore  be  considered  as  a  resident  of  north-eastern 
New  England  through  the  year.  It  is  found  all  along 
our  shores  in  the  winter,  but  not  in  any  great  abundance ; 
and  it  is  less  common  on  the  shores  of  Massachusetts,  than 
on  those  of  Maine.  Like  the  other  Auks  and  Guillemots, 
it  is  an  expert  diver ;  and  it  obtains  its  food  by  diving  and 
swimming  beneath  the  surface  of  the  water :  this  food,  as 
with  the  others,  consists  principally  of  fish,  which  it  Seizes 
in  its  bill,  and  swallows  whole.  It  also  eats  various  small 
marine  animals  and  their  eggs  ;  and,  like  the  others,  picks 
up  such  floating  garbage  as  may  come  in  its  way. 

The  eggs,  three  in  number,  are  placed  on  the  bare  rock 
or  earth,  usually  in  fissures  of  cliffs  or  almost  inaccessible 
ledges.  These  are  exactly  ovoidal  in  form,  and  vary  in 
color  from  a  pale  greenish-white  to  a  pure  pearl-white. 
This  is  covered  irregularly  with  spots  and  blotches  of  dif- 
ferent shades  of  brown  and  black,  thickest  at  the  great  end, 
where  they  are  usually  almost  confluent  into  a  ring  around 
the  whole  egg.  Besides  these  spots,  there  are  others  of  an 
obscure-purple  scattered  over  the  egg,  that  appear  as  if  they 
were  beneath  the  outside  of  the  shell.  The  dimensions  of 
the  eggs  of  this  species  vary  from  2.40  by  1.60  inch  to  2.25 
by  1.50  inch. 

DWA  LOMVIA.  — firflnnicA. 

The  Foolish  Qoillemot;  the  Morre. 

Una  lomvia,  Brilnnich.    Om.  Bor.  (1784),  27. 
Colymbm  troile,  Linneus.    Syst.  Nat,  I.  (1766)  220. 

Descuiption. 

Bill  rather  long,  pointed,  compregsed;  from  the  lateral  feathem  longer  than  the 
tarsus,  or  than  the  inner  toe  and  claw;  a  narrow  line  under  and  behind  the  eye 
dark-brown;  head  above,  and  entire  other  upper  parts,  brownish-blaclc ;  sides  of  the 
head,  and  entire  under  parts,  white;  sides  of  the  body  under  the  wing  with  trans- 
verse stripes  of  ashy-brown;  under  wing  coverts  white,  secondary  quills  tipped  with 
white;  bill  blackish-brown,  paler  at  base;  tarsi  and  feet  dark  greenish-brown;  »um- 


L.^ 


THE  FOOLISH  GUILLEMOT. 


569 


ts ;  and  it  is 
;rt  eastward, 
lorth-eaatern 
id  all  along 
abundance ; 
imsetta,  than 
[  Guillemots, 
y  diving  and 
this  food,  as 
licli  it  Seizes 
arious  small 
others,  picks 

he  bare  rock 

,  inaccessii)le 

and  vary  in 

pearl-white. 

otches  of  dif- 

he  great  end, 

,  ring  around 

others  of  an 

ear  as  if  they 

iraensions  of 

)  inch  to  2.25 


in  longer  than  tbe 
nd  behind  the  eye 
-black ;  sides  of  tbe 
le  wing  with  trans- 
y  quills  tipped  with 
ienish-brown ;  sum- 


mer plumage,  with  the  entire  hind  and  upper  parts  of  body,  dark  sooty-brown; 
under  parts  white;  head  and  orbital  region  dusky,  without  white  stripes. 

Total  length,  about  fifteen  inches;  wing,  seven  and  a  half;  tail,  two  inche*. 

IToft.  — Northern  coasU  of  America;  Northern  Europe  and  Asia. 

This  bird  is  rather  common  on  our  coast  in  the  winter 
months,  and  is  said  to  breed  in  small  numbers  about  the 
Bay  of  Fundy.  As  a  general  thing,  however,  it  passes  the 
season  of  incubation  in  more  northern  localities,  and  is  very 
abundant  on  the  coast  of  Labrador,  where,  on  the  low 
islands,  it  breeds,  laying  a  single  egg,  like  the  Razor-billed 
Auk,  on  the  bare  rock  or  gravel.  It  is  impossible  to  de- 
scribe the  egg  of  this  species  in  a  manner  that  will  lead  to 
its  being  distinguished  from  that  of  the  Murre  or  Razor- 
billed  Auk. 

Audubon  makes  the  following  observations,  which  are,  of 
course,  of  more  value  to  the  collector  than  to  the  student, 
who  has  no  opportunities  of  visiting  the  breeding-grounds 
of  these  birds.    He  says :  — 

"  The  Foolish  Guillemot  lays  only  a  single  egg,  which  is  the 
case  with  the  Thick-billed  Guillemot  also.  The  Razor-billed  Auk 
lays  two,  and  the  Black  Guillemot  usually  three.  This  is  confirmed 
by  the  fact,  that  the  Foolish  Guillemot,  which  lays  only  one  egg, 
plucks  the  feathers  from  its  abdomen,  which  is  thus  left  bare  over 
a  roundish  space,  just  large  enough  to  cover  its  single  egg.  The 
Thick-billed  Guillemot  does  the  same.  The  Auk,  on  the  contrary, 
forms  two  bare  spots,  separated  by  a  ridge  of  feathers.  The  Black 
Guillemot,  to  cover  her  three  eggs,  and  to  warm  them  all  at  once, 
plucks  a  space  bare  quite  across  her  belly." 

One  peculiarity  which  I  notice  in  the  eggs  of  this  species 
and  those  of  the  Murre  is,  that  they  are  generally  some- 
what  pyriform  in  shape :  but  this  is  not  persistent ;  and  the 
same  rock  may  contein  a  deep-green  egg  with  brown  spots 
and  blotches,  a  light-blue  one  with  hardly  any  marks,  and 
cream-colored  OneS;  drab,"  reddish-white,  and  bluish-white, 
some  with  only  a  few  spots  and  blotches,  and  others  thickly 
marked.    It  may  also  have  pyriform  eggs,  ovoidal,  ovate, 


570 


ORNITHOLOGY  AND  OOLOQT. 


and  almost  oval  ones.  The  only  moans  of  perfect  identi- 
fication of  either  of  these  species  is  to  visit  their  breeding- 
places,  «ind  secure  the  parent  birds  on  their  nests. 

The  dimensions  vary  from  3.50  by  2.15  inches  to  2.95  by 
by  1.78  inch. 

UEIA  EIHQVIA.  —  BrSnnich. 

The  Mnrre. 

Una  ringvia,  Brilnnich.    Orn.  Bor.  (1764)  28. 
Uria  troUe,  Audubon.    Om.  Bor.,  III.  (1886)  142. 

DESCRIPTIOir. 

About  the  size  of,  or  rather  larger  than,  the  preceding;  bill  rather  long,  pointed, 
compressed ;  from  the  lateral  feathers,  longer  than  the  tarsus,  or  than  the  inner  toe  and 
claw;  wings  rather  short;  tail  very  short;  a  narrow  line  of  white  encircling  and  run- 
ning backwards  behind  the  eye  and  over  the  ear;  head  and  entire  upper  parte  dark- 
brown,  with  a  tinge  of  ashy;  under  parte  white;  sides  with  transverse  stripes  of 
ashy-brown;  under  wing  coverte  white;  bill  black;  feet  greenish-black;  winter 
plumage,  with  the  throat  and  aU  other  under  parts,  white;  the  white  line  behind  the 
eye  frequently  wanting,  and  different  in  length  in  specimens. 

Total  length,  about  seventeen  inches;  wing,  seven  and  a  half  to  eight  inches; 
tail,  two  inches. 

Hab.  —  Northern  America,  Northern  Europe,  and  Asia. 

The  same  remarks  are  applicable  to  this  as  to  the  Foolish 
Guillemot.  It  is  northern  in  its  habits,  and  i»  more  abun- 
dant on  the  coast  of  Maine  than  farther  south. 


MER6ULUS,  Kat. 

Mergulus,  Bat,  Syn.  Av.  (1718),  126. 

Small;  general  form  short  and  heavy;  head  rafter  largo;  bill  short,  ftick;  upper 
mandible  curved,  slightly  lobed  on  ite  edge;  membrane  of  the  rounded  nostril  large; 
wings  moderate  or  rather  short,  pointed;  first  quill  longest;  tail  short;  feet  rathet 
short. 

HEBOULUS  ALLE. — Xinructu. 
The  Little  Auk;  the  Sea  Dove  ;  DoveUe. 

^fea  oCe,  Linnasus.    Syst.  Kat,  I.  (1766)  211. 
Uria  aile,  Audubon.    Om.  Bor.,  IV.  (1888)  804. 

Dkscmptios. 
Small;  head,  breast,  and  entire  upper  parte,  brownish-black,  inclining  to  fuligi- 
nous on  the  head  and  breast;  under  parte  from  the  breast  white;  a  narrow  line  of 
white  over  the  eye;. secondaries  tipped  with  white;  ecapulars  edged  with  white; 


THE  LITTLE  AUK. 


571 


erfect  identi- 
eir  breeding- 
its. 
3S  to  2.95  by 


ithcr  long,  pointed, 
n  the  inner  toe  and 
encircling  and  run- 
3  upper  parts  dark- 
insverse  stripes  of 
nisb-black;  winter 
lite  line  behind  the 

If  to  eight  inches; 


to  the  Foolish 
9  more  abun- 


under  wing  coverts  dark-ashy;  flanks  with  longitudinal  stripes  of  browmsh-black 
bill  black;  feet  pale-reddish;  webs  of  toes  dark;  winter  plumage  "n-l  y.«"ng- ;-« 
the  throat  and  other  under  parts,  white,  extendmg  somewhat  on  the  sides  of  the 

°*\"otal  length,  about  seven  and  a  half  inches;  wing,  four  and  a  half;  tail,  one  and 

""onTortte  most  abundant  of  the  sea-birds  of  northern  America  and  Europe, 
straying  south  in  the  winter  occasionaUy  to  the  coasts  of  the  Middle  States. 

This  curious  little  bird  is  not  uncommon  on  our  coast  in 
winter.  In  severe  storms,  it  is  occasionally  blown  far 
inland ;  and  it  has  been  killed  in  the  Umbagog  Lakes,  m 
the  north-western  part  of  Maine.  I  know  but  little  of  its 
habits.     Wilson  says :  — 

«  The  Little  Auk  is  said  to  be  but  a  rare  visitant  of  the 
British  Isles.  It  is  met  with  in  various  parts  of  the  North, 
even  as  far  as  Spitzbergen;  is  common  in  Greenland,  m 
company  with  the  Black-billed  Auk,  and  feeds  upon  the 
same  kind  of  food.  The  Greenlanders  call  it  the  Ice-bird, 
from  the  circumstance  of  its  being  the  harbinger  of  ice.  It 
lays  two  bluish-white  eggs,  larger  than  those  of  the  Pigeon. 
It  flies  quick,  and  dives  well,  and  is  always  dipping  its  biU 
into  the  water  while  swimming  or  at  rest  on  that  element; 
walks  better  on  the  land  than  others  of  the  genus.  It  grows 
fat  in  the  stormy  season,  from  the  waves  bringing  plenty  of 
crabs  and  small  fish  within  its  reach.  It  is  not  a  very  crafty 
bird,  and  may  be  easily  taken." 


short, thick;  upper 

mded  nostril  large ; 

short;  feet  rathet 


inclining  to  fuligi- 

e;  a  narrow  line  of 

edged  with  white; 


NOTES. 


I  conclude  herewith  Mr.  Couper's  notes  on  the  foregoing 
species,  made  at  Quebec,  Lower  Canada:  — 

ANSES  HTPERBOBEDS. —Common  on  the  St.  Lawrence  in  the  faU. 

BEBHICLA  CAHADEHSI8.-Thi8  is  our  most  common  species.  It  goes 
north  and  west  to  breed.  They  breed  abundanUy  in  the  swamps  of  Ilbnois. 
A  few  breed  in  Anticosti;  and  I  beUeve  they  are  to  be  found  breeding  m 
LAbrador. 


'-»-- 


572 


ORNITHOLOOT   AND   OOLOGT. 


AHAS  BOSCHAS.  —  Uncommon. 

A.  OBSCUBA.  -This  duck  is  very  common  here.    It  is  truly  a  northern 
species.    It  breeds  in  the  swamps  adjacent  to  this  city. 

DAFILA  ACUTA.  -  Common  in  spring :  a  few  visit  us  in  the  fall. 
HETTIOH  CAB0LINEHSI3.— Common.    Breeds. 
QUEBQUEDULA  DISC0B8.  —  Uncoaimon. 
SPATOLA  CLTPEATA.  — Uncommon. 

MABECA  AMEBICAHA.-The  adult  bird  is  seldom  seen  in  this  latitude. 
AIX  SPONSA.  —  Sometimes  common.    Breeds. 

FUMX  MABILA.  -The  young  are  abundant  on  the  St.  Lawrence  during 
autumn.    They  breed  north-west  of  Quebec. 

F.  APFraiS.  — Occasional  specimens  are  shot  at  Sorel  and  Three  Rivers. 
It  is  more  abundant  in  Western  Canada, 
r.  COLLABIS.  —  Occasional. 
ATTHYA  AKEBICAHA.  — Occasional. 

BUCEPHAIA  AJIEEICAHA.-Very  common  in  spring  and  feU.  Breeds 
in  Canada. 

B   ISLAUMCA  —Adult  birds  are  occasionally  shot  on  the  lakes.    The 
young  are  abundant  on  the  St.  Lawrence  during  the  early  part  of  winter.    I 
have  seen  the  adult  on  Lac  k  la  Philip  in  July. 
B.  ALBEOLA.  —  Common  in  spring  and  fWl. 

HISTBIOHICDS  TOBftUATUS.-  Common  on  the  north  shore  of  the  St. 
Lawrence.  A  beautiM  adult  male  was  shot  in  the  spring,  on  the  Montmo- 
renci  Kiver,  near  Quebec. 

.  HABELDA  GIACIALIS.  -  Occasional  near  Quebec.     Common  on  the 
ipper  lakes  in  spring  and  fUl. 

PELIOKETTA  PEBSPICILtATA.  -  Very  common  in  the  fiiU  at  MilW 
Vaches,  lower  St.  Lawrence. 

SOMATEEIA  MOLUSSIMA.  -  Common  on  the  north  shore  of  the  St. 
Lawrence.    Breeds  on  isknds  in  the  river  below  the  Saguenay. 
MBBGUS  AMBBICAHUS.  — Common.    Breeds. 
M.  SEBBATOB.  —  Common  in  spring  and  fall. 

LOPHODTTBS  CDCULLATU8.  —  Adult  is  occasionally  seen.    Young  visit 
'      the  St.  Lawrence  in  the  fkU.    Breeds  on  the  margins  of  northern  lakes. 

LABU8  ABQEHTATOS.  —  Common  on  the  St.  Lawrence  in  spring  and 
fall.    Breeds  on  our  mountain  lakes. 


^ 


NOTES. 


678 


truly  a  northern 
the  fall. 


in  this  latitude. 

Lawrence  during 
nd  Three  Rivers. 


lAEUS  DELAWASENSIS.  — The  young  arc  occasionally  seen  hovering 
over  the  river,  opposite  the  city,  in  autumn.    Breeds  in  Labrador. 

CHEOICOCEPHALUS  PHILADELPHIA.  —  The  young  of  this  Gull  are  com- 
raon  in  the  St.  Lawrence  during  autumn.  Adult  rare.  Tliey  are  supposed 
to  breed  on  the  islands  of  the  St.  Lawrence. 

STEENA  WILSOHII-  —  The  young  are  common  in  the  autumn.  Adult 
birds  are  occasionally  seen  on  their  way  to  the  upper  lakes. 

COLTMBUS  TOEftUATCS,  —  Common  on  all  our  northern  lakes.    Breeds. 

UEIA  LOMVIA.— Tins  species  makes  an  occasional  foolish  visit  to  the  fresh 
waters  of  the  St.  Lawrence.  In  the  fall  of  1866,  hundreds  were  destroyed 
by  the  inhabitants,  who  sold  them  to  hucksters  to  exhibit  on  the  market  a> 
•n  article  of  food. 


and  fall.    Breeds 

1  the  lakes.    The 
part  of  winter.    I 


li  shore  of  the  St. 
ig,  on  the  Montmo- 

Common  on  the 

the   &11   at  Milld 

1  shore  of  the  St. 
aguenay. 


seen.    Young  visit 
aorthem  lakes. 

'ence  in  spring  and 


I'l! 


mamammim»mlllStHliKU 


liMlrlTMiiiiriliMr^^^ 


% 


L_ 


mmm 


APPENDIX. 


I  HERE  append  the  following  list  of  additional  species,  which  occur 
or  have  occurred  within  the  limits  of  New  England.  As  will  be 
perceived,  the  greater  number  can  be  regarded  only  as  occasional 
or  accidental  visitors ;  and,  indeed,  some  of  the  species  are  deemed 
by  ornithologists  as  of  doubtful  existence,  —  as,  for  instance.  Small- 
headed  Flycatcher,  Wood  Wren,  &c. 

I  am  under  special  obligations  to  Mr.  Henry  A.  Purdie  for 
many  valuable  suggestions  and  facts  in  relation  to  the  times  of 
arrival,  distribution,  breeding  habits,  «&c.,  of  many  of  the  species 
described  in  the  body  of  the  work,  and  mentioned  in  the  Appendix. 
Reference  has  been  made  to  the  following  works :  — 

BiBDs  OF  Massachusetts.    By  W.  B.  O.  Peabody.    1839. 

Birds  of  Long  Island.    By  J.  P.  Giraud.    1844, 

Birds  of  Vermont.    By  Zadock  Thompson.     1863. 

Catalogue  of  Birds  of  E88f.x  County,  Mass.  By  F.  W.  Putnam. 
Published  in  Proceedings  of  Essex  Institute.     Vol.  I.     1856. 

Catalogue  of  Birds  found  at  Norway,  Me.  By  A.  E.  Verrill. 
Published  in  Proceedings  of  Essex  Institute.     Vol.  III.     1862. 

Catalogue  of  Birds  found  at  Calais,  Me.,  and  about  the  Islands 
in  the  Bay  of  Fundy.  By  George  A.  Boardman.  Published  in  Pro- 
ceedings of  Boston  Society  of  Natural  History.     Vol.  IX.     1862. 

Catalogue  of  Birds  found  at  Springfield,  Mass.  By  J.  A.  Allen. 
Published  in  Proceedings  of  Essex  Institute.    Vol.  IV.     1864. 

Catalogue  of  Birds  of  Massachusetts.    By  E.  A.  Samuels.    1864. 

Catalogue  of  the  Birds  found  in  the  vicinity  of  Watervillb, 
Me.  By  Professor  C.  E.  Hamlin,  m  Report  of  Maine  Board  of  Agri- 
culture.    1865. 

Catalogue  of  Birds  of  New  England.  By  Elliott  Coues,  M.D. 
Published  in  Proceedings  of  Essex  Institute.     Vol.  V.     1867. 

Notes  on  some  of  the  Rarer  Birds  of  Massachusetts.  By  J.  A. 
Allen.    Published  in  American  Naturalist    Vol.  III.    1869. 

Article  by  John  Burroughs  in  Atlantic  Monthly.    June,  1869. 


f 


■oWrattiiS^HalM^ 


1. 


576 


APPENDIX. 


CATHABTES  AURA.     Turkey  Buward.  —  Accidental.      Ono    taken  at 
Calais,  Me.,— George  A.  Uoardman;  two  in  Massachusetts,  1863. 

CATHABTES   ATBATOS.     Black  Vulture.  —  Accidental.    One  taken  at 
Swampscott,  Mass..  in  November,   18r>0,  by  S.  Jillson;  one  at  Glou- 
cester.  Mass.,  on  Sept.  28, 1863,  by  William  Iluntsford;  one  in  Hudson 
Mass. ;  others  seen,  —  S.  JUUon ;  one  new  Calais,  Me.,  —  G.  A.  Board- 
man. 

FALOO  8ACEB.  Jer  Falcon.  Iceland  Falcon.  — Rare  winter  visitor,  al- 
most accidental  in  southera  portions.  One  killed  at  Seckonk  Plams, 
Mass.,  about  1840,  by  Jillson;  ono  taken  in  the  winter  of  1864-5,  near 
Providence,  R.I.,  by  Mr.  Newton  Dexter.  The  two  species  heretolore 
considered  distinct  —  viz.,  Falco  Candieuns  and  F.  Iilandicm  -  are 
now  considered  as  belonging  to  the  present;  species. 

ABCHIBUTEO  SABCTIJ0HAIHI8,  Black  lawk;  and  ABCHIBUTEO  LA- 
aOPUS,  Bough-legged  Hawk. -J.  A.  Allen  gives,  in  his  article  on  the 
"Rarer  Birds  of  Massachusetts,"  the  following  extract,  from  a  letter 
written  by  Dr.  William  Wood,  in  relation  t.j  these  species,  to  prove  that 

they  are  identical :  —  .,.,.1.11. 

"  I  have,"  he  says.  "  aU  shades  of  color,  from  the  light  to  the  black, 
and  I  am  unable  to  find  the  dividing  line;  both  have  the  same  measure- 
ments.  the  same  claws  and  biU,  the  same  habits,  come  and  leave  at  the 
same  time,  and  hunt  together.  I  have  them  almost  black,  with  the  faint 
markings  of  the  lighter  bird,  showing,  to  my  mind,  that  the  lighter  mark- 
ings become  extinct  as  the  black  increases,  or  as  the  bird  increases  in  age. 
Those  who  claim  that  they  are  distinct  say,  that  in  some  locabties  the 
Bough-legs  are  common,  and  no  Black  Hawks  are  to  be  seen.  This 
proves  nothing.  The  young  of  the  Red-throated  Diver  are  very  common 
in  Long-Island  Sound,  yet  the  adult  is  n.  er  seen  there.  So  it  is  with 
the  Crested  Grebe:  the  young  are  found  here  in  winter,  never  the 

adult " 

In  another  letter.  Dr.  Wood  says:  " The  Rough-legged  Falcon  and 
Black  Hawk  art  the  same.  I  have  taken  and  examined,  I  presume,  forty 
specimens.  They  are  the  tame  bird,  but  not  of  the  same  age.  The  black 
is  the  adult  So  gradually  do  they  become  more  black  till  jet-black  is 
reached,  that  I  wUl  defy  any  one  to  draw  the  separating  Ime." 

STBIX  PBATIHCOLA.  Barn  Owl— Given  by  Thompson,  on  authority 
of  Dr.  Brewer,  as  being  not  only  found  in  Vermont,  but  also  breeding 
there  This  is.  of  course,  incorrect.  Accidental  visitor  from  the  South. 
One  taken  in  Lynn.  Mass..  about  1863.  by  Mr.  James  Teal;  one  taken 
at  "  Sachem's  Head."  Conn.,  Oct  28,  1866.  -  Dr.  William  Wood;  one 
at  Springfield,  Mass.,  May,  1868,  —J.  A.  AUen. 


APPENDIX. 


677 


Ono    taken  at 
setts,  1863. 

I.  Ono  taken  at 
)n;  ono  at  Glou- 
;  one  in  Hudson, 
,  —  G.  A.  Board- 
winter  visitor,  al- 
Seekonk  Plains, 
r  of  1864-6,  near 
jpecies  heretofore 
Islandicu»  —  are 

AECBIBUTEO  LA- 
lis  article  on  the 
act,  from  a  letter 
cies,  to  prove  that 

light  to  the  black, 
the  same  measure- 
le  and  leave  at  the 
lack,  with  the  faint 
,t  the  lighter  mark- 
rd  increases  in  age. 
some  localities  the 
to  be  seen.  This 
;r  are  very  common 
lere.  So  it  is  with 
winter,  never  the 

legged  Falcon  and 
id,  I  presume,  forty 
me  age.  The  black 
ack  till  jet-black  is 
ng  line." 

ipson,  on  authority 
t,  but  also  breeding 
itor  from  the  South, 
les  Teal ;  one  taken 
iVilliam  "Wood ;  one 


RTOTALE  AOAOIOA.  8«w-Wli«t  Owl,  —  The  following  account  of  the 
breeding  habita  of  this  little  owl  is  kindly  furnished  me  by  Richard 
Christ,  of  Nazareth,  Pa. :  — 

"  This,  the  smallest  of  all  our  owls,  is  also  the  most  rare,  but  a  single 
specimen  being  seen  in  a  period  of  several  years.  It  is  very  tame  when 
found,  permitting  one  to  approach  very  close  to  it  before  flying  away. 
I  am  inclined  to  think  that  it  sees  less  in  the  daytime  than  any  other 
species  of  our  owls,  for  one  can  touch  it  without  being  noticed,  the  bird 
taking  flight  more  from  alarm  to  its  sense  of  hearing  than  any  other 
cause. 

It  generally  frequents  stone  quarries  or  piles  of  rocks,  beneath  which 
it  takes  shelter;  and  it  is  from  this  habit  that  the  bird  hero  is  known  by 
the  name  of  "  stone  owl."  On  the  26th  of  Aprils  1867, 1  was  so  fortunate 
as  to  find  the  nest  of  one  of  thcs''  birds.  It  was  placed  or  located  in  the 
hollow  of  a  tree,  about  twenty  feet  lioin  the  ground;  the  entrance  to  the 
hole  was  very  small,  scarcely  two  inches  in  diameter.  On  climbing  the 
tree  and  looking  into  the  hollow,  I  discovered  sitting  on  the  bottom  what 
I  supposed  might  be  a  small  owl.  Uncertain  as  to  the  truth,  I  introduced 
a  small  stick  into  the  hole,  and  turned  the  bird  over  upon  her  side,  she 
making  no  struggle  whatever,  but  remaining  perfectly  still  as  if  dead. 
I  discovered  that  she  was  sitting  upon  a  single  egg.  Supposing  that  she 
had  but  just  commenced  laying,  I  left  her,  and  did  not  molest  her  again 
for  several  days ;  on  the  fifth  day  after,  I  again  examined  the  nest,  and 
found  the  bird  on  her  I'gg,  none  other  having  been  laid.  I  enlarged  the 
hole,  and  took  the  egg,  leaving  the  owl  quietly  sitting  on  the  rotten  chips 
which  formed  the  bottom  of  the  nest. 

The  egg  was  white,  with  a  bluish  tint,  like  many  of  the  other  owls' 
eggs,  nearly  globular  in  form,  and  considerably  smaller  than  the  egg  of 
the  Red  or  Mottled  owl." 

OlF.lISnS  CAROUHUS.  Bad-lMlliad  Woodpeeker.— Given  in  Allen's  list 
as  accidental.  He  •"  saw  one,  May  13,  1868 ;  and  it  has  been  taken  sev- 
eral times  in  Connecticut,  but  occurs  in  New  England  only  as  a  straggler." 
Accidental  summer  visitor,  and  only  in  more  southern  portions. 
.  ASOTTBIA  MACULATA.— A  South  American  Humming  Bird,  a  single 
individual  of  which  was  captured  in  Cambridge,  Mass.,  August,  1866, 
by  Mr.  William  Brewster.    Entirely  accidental. 

TnAHirUB  DOHIHICEISXB.  Gray  XiuK  Bird. —Entirely  accidental ;  from 
the  South.  One  shot  in  Lynn,  Mass.,  October,  1869,  by  Charles  I. 
Goodale. 

CMPISOBAZ  FLAVIYSITBIS.  Tellow-bellitd  Flyoateher.  —  A  not  com- 
mon spring  and  autumn  migrant  in  southern,  and  summer  resident  in 


# 


678 


APPENDIX. 


northern  section..     I.  generally  found  in  thick  undergrowth  .n  .wampy 

bcS.  t  i.  .aid  i!  have  a  more  musical  note  than  other  specu.  of 
L  ™-  and   according  to  WilUam  Urew.tcr.  of  Cambndgo.  it«  nong 

:o:fZ;e;elc;that  or  the  Wood  rewee.  but  it  i.  not  .o  prolonged. 

and  much  more  .ubdued. 

TOMDS  laVIUS.  Varied  Thra.h.-But  one  inrtance  o"  record  of 
iU  ca^u  *  ?n  New  England ;  at  Ipswich.  Ma«...  December.  18b4.  Ace.- 
dentol ;  from  the  West. 

8AX1C0LA  MAHTia.  Ston.  Chat.-Not  a.  yet.  I  believe,  actually  ob- 
tained  wUhIn  the  limiU  of  New  England;  but  a.  it  haj.  ac.ordu.g  to 
Tuet  b  en  found  in  Nova  Scotia.  Labrador,  and  on  Long  I«  and  t 
^ay  occu^     The  .peci..  i.  a  straggler  from  Europe,  and  enUrcly  acc- 

*'!^WWn.A  OJEBOLIA.  Bl«-Oray  0«.t.ateh.r.  -  An  accidental  .um- 
.c^vSo  .outhern  portion,  of  New  England.  No  recent  m.tance 
of  its  occurrence  on  record. 

LOraOPHAHBS  BIOOLOB.    Cr..t«d  Itt«on...-An  accidental  .pecie., 
game  a.  the  preceding. 

TBOOLODinS  AMBBIOAHUS.   WoodWr.«.--I  ^ave  "ever jne*  with  th  . 

ni!;    but  was  induced  to  include  it  in  my  li.t  of  Maa.achu.ett.  bird.. 

TblUhld  in  Z^^^use  .everal  collector,  and  others  had  informed  me 

Jhtf  1  oclionally  found  here.    Thompson  and  oth-Jcl«de  .^- 

edge  of  an  authentic  specimen  in  any  coUection. 

OBOTHLTPISPHILADBLPHIA.  l'-""'"*^"""--^,*''"'*'/ V^'^.r^f 
and  autumn  migrant ,  but  it  breed,  in  northern  and  e'^^ed  portK.ns  of 
New  England.  A  neat  said  to  belong  to  th..  spec.e..  found  by  Mr.  John 
Sough,  about  the  head-waters  of  Delawai.  River  m  the  Cat.k.U 
MouS.  N.y..  is  thus  described  by  him  in  the  "Atlantic"  for  June. 

^*"\t^a.  placed  in  a  bunch  of  fern.,  and  about  six  >"<=!'««  f™™*^' 
^und  It  wa.  quite  a  ma..ive  nest,  composed  entirely  of  the  sUlks 
S^ Tea^e.  of  driedV-B.  with  an  inner  Uning  of  fine,  dark  brown  rooU^ 
?he  egg.,  ihree  in  number.were  of  light  flesh-color,  umformly  .pecked 
with  fine  brown  .pecks.  The  cavity  of  the  nest  was  so  deep  that  the 
back  of  the  sitting  bird  sank  below  the  edge." 

According  to  this  writer,  the  song  of  this  bird  re.emble.  that  of  the 
MaryUnd  YeUow  Throat.  Like  that  .pedes,  it  gives  a  preference  to 
damp  places. 


wth  in  iwampjr 
)thcr  B[H3cit!a  of 
)riilgo,  iU  Bong 
1 10  prolonged, 

I  on  record  of 
r,  1804.     Acci- 

vo,  actually  ob- 
Ls,  according  to 
Long  Island,  it 
id  entirely  acci- 

accidental  sum- 
rocent  instance 

:idental  species, 

?cr  mot  with  this 
gachusctts  birds, 
had  informed  me 
hers  include  it  in 
en  found  by  Dr. 
id  have  no  knowl- 

efly  a  rare  spring 
vated  portions  of 
jund  by  Mr.  John 
r,  in  the  Catskill 
tlantic"  for  June, 

X  inches  from  the 
irely  of  the  stalks 
dark  brown  roots, 
uniformly  specked 
so  deep  that  the 

embles  that  of  the 
es  a  preference  to 


APPENDIX. 


679 


PBOTOHOTABIA  OITBEA.  Prbthonotary  Varbltf .  —  But  one  occurrence 
In  New  En(;land,  —  male  bird,  obtained  in  October,  at  Calais,  Me.,  by 
G.  A.  lioardman.     Accidental.     A  southern  species. 

BXLiniTHOPHAOA  CHBTSOPTERA.  OoMen-winKed  Warbltr.  —  As  stated 
by  Mr.  H.  A.  Purdio,  in  the  "American  Naturalist,"  Vol.  III.  p.  497, 
Massachuaetts  is  probably  about  the  northern  limit  of  this  Mpeeies,  and  it 
is  a  not  uncommon  summer  visitor  in  that  State,  instead  of  a  spring  and 
autumn  migrant.  Ho  also  mentions  the  discovery  of  the  nest  in  West 
Newton,  by  Mr.  C.  J.  Maynard,  thus  confirming  his  belief  that  this 
warbler  nidified  with  us.  ^ 

In  the  same  volume  of  the  above  magazine,  pp.  575-6,  Mr.  J.  A.  Allen 
thus  describes  the  nest  found  by  Mr.  Maynard  :  — 

The  nest  was  placed  "  on  the  ground,  in  a  tract  of  coarse  weeds  and 
ferns,  near  a  swampy  thicket,  and  but  a  few  rods  from  a  public  highway. 
It  was  placed  entirely  above  the  surface  of  the  ground,  and  the  birds 
•eem  to  have  made  no  special  effort  to  conceal  it.  It  was  composed  ex- 
ternally of  dried  oak-leaves  and  the  bark  of  the  grape-vino,  and  rather 
roughly  lined  with  fine  grass  and  a  few  horse-hairs.  He  says  it  is  large 
for  the  size  of  the  bird,  and  somewhat  reminds  one  of  the  nest  of  the 
Maryland  Yellow  Throat.  It  is  a  little  smaller  at  the  top,  where  the 
internal  diameter  is  less  than  two  inches,  while  in  the  middle  it  is  two  and 
a  quarter.  The  eggs  were  five  in  number,  including  a  Cow  Bunting's 
egg  that  these  watchful  parasites  had  introduced." 

These  eggs  are  described  as  varying  from  66. 100th  inch  in  length  bv 
66.100th  inch  in  breadth  to  66.100th  inch  by  63.100th  inch,  and  being 
more  or  less  spotted  and  blotched  with  brown,  over  a  white  ground 
color. 

HlLMiHTHOPBAOA  OXLATA.  Oraoga  Crowned  Warbler.  —  Accidental. 
One  obtained  at  Springfield,  Mass. ;  others  seen.  May,  1863,  by  J.  A. 
Allen.    A  western  species. 

• 

SEIUBUS  LUDOVIOIAHUS.  Iiarge-billed  Water  Ihruih.  —  Very  rare,  if 
not  accidental,  summer  visitor.  One  taken  at  Norway,  Me.,  May, 
1866,  by  Irving  Frost;  one  at  Waterville,.  Me.,  1866,  —  Professor 
C.  E.  Hamlin;  one  on  Mount  Tom,  Mass.,  April  28,  1869,  by  J.  A, 
Allen. 

DISDBOICA  CJEBULSA.  Bine  Warbler, — Perhaps  an  accidental  summer 
visitor  to  extreme  southern  portions  of  New  England.  No  recent  in- 
stances on  record  of  its  occurrence. 

BZ:n)BOICA  MACUIiOSA.  Blaek  and  Tellow  Warbler.  —  The  following 
description  of  a  nest  and  eggs  of  this  species  is  kindly  furnished  me  by 


I'liiililtti 


Mi^' 


680 


APPENDIX. 


I. 


■  V 


Mr.  R.  Dnane.  of  Cambridge,  Mmi.  The  gpecimcm  wore  foimil  ai 
Upton,  Maine,  .luno  10,  1870 :  — 

"The  neit  wan  placed  in  a  forked  branch  of  a  low  spruro  about  three 
feet  from  tJic  ground,  on  a  rising  pioco  of  land  leading  from  a  wood  path. 
The  nest,  which  contained  four  egg«.  wai  construcU-'d  of  dry  graii,  npruce 
twig«,  rooU,  &c.,  and  was  line<l  with  fine  black  root*,  tho  whole  being 
quite  a  coar»e  itructure  for  «o  dainty  a  looking  Warbler. 

"The  eggs  were  more  gphcrical  than  any  Watbler'i  I  have  seen,  the 
ground  being  a  creamy  white,  and  blotched  «parsely  over  with  large 
gpotii  of  lilac  and  umber. 

"Th# dimensions  are  as  foUows:  .02  by  .62  inch;  .61  by  .62  inch; 
.62  by  .60  inch ;  .63  by  .62  inch." 

MTIODIOCTXS  unrorUS.  "Small-hsaded  Flysatehsr."  —  Although  Dr. 
Brewer  informed  Mr.  Peabody  that  "  it  has  been  found  in  Ipswich,  Mass., 
and  that  he  picked  up  a  specimen,  evidently  just  dead,  on  the  step  of  his 
door  in  Brooklino,  Mass.,"  I  think  that  its  occurrence  in  New  England 
must  be  regarded  as  very  doubtful,  even  if  the  species  exists,  whi>;h  fnany 
naturalists  deny.  Some  one  of  the  species  of  Empidonax,  as  Dr.  Couea 
remarks,  was  probably  mistaken  for  it. 

imODIOCTES  CAHADMSIS.  Canada  Flycateher.—TUs  species  probably 
more  often  nests  on  tho  ground  and  in  damp  situations  than  elsewhere. 
A  nest  found  in  Lynn,  Mass..  some  years  since,  by  George  Wells,  is  thus 
described.  Vol.  VI.  Proc.  Boston  Soc.  Nat,  Hist.:  "The  nest  was 
found  in  low  swampy  ground,  and  was  built  at  the  foot  of  a  tussock  of 
thick  grass,  on  the  ground.  It  was  constructed  almost  entirely  of  leaves 
of  the  white  pine,  so  loosely  arranged  that  it  was  found  necessary  to  sew 
them  together,  in  order  to  preserve  it.  The  eggs,  five  in  number,  m 
shape  are  an  oblong  ovoid,  8.4ths  of  an  inch  in  length  by  9.16ths  m 
breadth;  their  ground  color  is  a  bluish-white,  irreguUrly  marked  with 
dote  and  small  blotches,  of  reddish-brown." 

PTBAHOA  ESTIVA.  Smnissr  »«d  Bird.  —  Accidental  summer  visitor  to 
southern  portions.  Two  taken  in  Lynn,  Mass.,  April  21,  1862,  by  S. 
JiUson ;  one  taken  in  Framingham,  Mass.,  May ;  one  in  Amherst.  Masa., 
August,  1867. 

COLtTWO  KCtlBlTOBOIDBS.  Whlte-rumped  Bhrik..  — Said  by  NuttaU 
to  have  been  seen  in  MassachusctU  in  winter.     Doubtful, 

VIBEO  PHILADEIPHICOS,  PhUadsIphla  Vlreo.  —  Very  rare  summer  visi- 
tor; only  one  instance  of  ite  occurrence  on  record.  WaterviUe,  Me., 
—  Profesaor  C.  E,  Hamlin. 


i*5. 


maSm 


wore  foiix'i  at 

ce  about  thro« 
in  a  wood  path, 
■y  gr&M,  ipruoe 
lio  whole  being 

have  Been,  the 
vor  with  large 

I  by  .62  inch; 

Although  Dr. 
Ipswich,  Mass., 
I  the  step  of  his 
I  Now  England 
iita,  whioh  many 
[,  as  Dr.  Coues 

rpecies  probably 
than  elsewhere, 
je  Wells,  is  thus 
"The  nest  was 
of  a  tussock  of 
sntirely  of  leaves 
necessary  to  sew 
0  in  number,  in 
h  by  9.16th8  in 
irly  marked  with 

ummer  visitor  to 

21,  1862,  by  8. 

Amherst,  Mass., 

-Said  by  Nuttall 
d. 

rare  summer  visi- 
Waterville,  Me., 


Ld^ 


APPENDIX. 


681 


OROmSTM  OlAim AOA  Lark  rineh.  —  Entirely  accidental ;  but  one 
instance  of  its  occurrence  recorded,  —  S.  Jillson,  Gloucester,  Mass., 
1846.     A  western  species. 

OEITSOITZ  BAIBDII.  Baird's  Sparrow.  —  Accidental.  One  «p«>cimen 
obtained  at  Ipswich,  Mass.,  by  C.  J.  Maynard,  Dec.  4,  1868.  A  nurth- 
wcslcrn  species. 

IIXLOSnZA  LIIOOUIII.  Llnoola's  Sparrow.  — '  Accidental ;  but  five  in- 
stances of  its  capture  on  record.  Three  at  Springfield,  Mass.,  by  Mr. 
J.  A.  Allen,  May,  1860,  1863,  1864;  two  at  Hudson,  Mass.,  by  S.  Jill- 
son,  May.  1867,  1868. 

PASSIB    DOMESTIGA.     Europtaa    Houss    Sparrow Introduced     from 

Europe,  and  will  probably  become  generally  distributed,  at  least  in  the 
more  southern  portions  of  New  England. 

OUIBAOA  OfBDLEA.  Bias  Orosbsak.  —  Accidental  visitor  fVom  the 
South;  but  one  instance  of  its  occurrence  on  record,  —  George  A. 
Boardman,  Calais,  Me.,  1861,  when  several  were  seen. 

OABDIIALIS  VIROIHIARUS.    Cardinal  Orosbsak.   Bsd  Bird.  —  Accidental 

visitor  from  the  South;  but  three  recent  instances  of  its  occurrence. 
Four  specimens  taken  near  Springfield,  Mass.,  in  October,  1866.  Seen 
by  Mr.  W.  II.  Niles,  at  Bclchertown,  Mass.,  October,  1868;  and  at 
Southampton,  Mass.,  May  6,  1869. 

XABTHOOEPHALUS  lOTEBOOEFHALnS.  TsUow-hsaded  Blaekbird— Acci- 
dental visitor  from  the  West.  One  taken  in  Watcrtown,  Mass.,  in 
October,  1869. 

LAQ0PU8  AIiBUS.  Whits  Ptarmifan.  —  Rare  winter  visitor  in  northern 
New  England. 

HEBODIAS  XOBXTTA.  Ortat  Whits  Rsron. —  Accidental  visitor  from  the 
South.  Several  instances  of  its  captui-e  in  southern  portions  of  New 
England. 

FLOBIOA  C£BDLEA.  Littls  Bias  Hsron.  —  Of  rare  occurrence.  Specimen 
taken  in  Barnstable,  Mass.,  in  spring  of  1861.  Accidental;  from  the 
South. 

BTCTHXKOIDIDS  VIOtACBITS.    Tsllow-erownsd  Bight  Hsron AccidcnlAl 

visitor  from  the  South.  One  taken  in  Lynn,  Mass.,  by  Mr.  N.  Vickary, 
October,  1862. 

IBIS  OBOII.  Olossy  Ibis.  —  Accidental  visitor  from  the  South.  Two 
recent  instances  of  it^  occurrence  recorded,  —  Nantucket,  September, 
1869,  one  specimen ;  New  Hampsliire,  in  October,  1858,  by  I)r  Palmer. 


L^ 


682 


APPENDIX. 


4 


HIMAHTOPUS  H10E1COLU8.  Bla.k-ne.k.d  Stilt-But  one  or  two  occur- 
rences, in  our  Umits,  on  record.     A  southern  species. 

PHALAEOPUS  WILSOHII.  Wilson's  Phriorop.— Given  in  Dr.  Coues'  list 
as^VeTncre.  perhaps  only  accidental,  and  chiefly  dunng  .ts  m.gra- 

*'raALAEOPOSFDUCAliniB.   Eed  Phalarops— Occurs  rarely,  along  the 
coast,  during  its  migrations.  ^ 

MICROPALAMA  HIMAH^'OPUS.  Btilt  J"<»'J'- -^^^jS'^^^^  ^ 
summer  visitor.  Two  specimens  obtained  at  Rye  Beach.  N.H.,  by  Mr. 
William  Brewster,  late  in  Augusts  of  1868-69. 

PHILOMACHUS  POQHAX.  EuIT,  -One  or  two  instances  given  by  Board- 
man.     Accidental  visitor  from  Europe. 

OALLIHULA  OALEATA,  Common  OallinuU;  «.dO.  MAETIHICA,  P-rplo  d- 
linule.  —  Are  both  rare  visitors  from  the  South. 

AHSEE  GAMBELLIl.  American  White-fronted  Goose. -Given  in  Dr. 
Coues'  Ust  as  "  Very  rare,  and  perhaps  accidental,  m  wmter. 

BBEHICLA  HUTCHIHSII.  Hutohinson-.  Goose.  -  Given  in  Dr.  Coues' list 
as  "  Chiefly  spring  and  autumn  migrant.     Not  abundant. 

HETXIOH  CBECCA.  English  Teal.  -  A  wanderer  from  Europe.  But  one 
or  two  instances  of  its  occurrence  on  record. 

FULIXCOLLAEIB.   Bing-necked  Duck.  -  Spring  and  autumn.     Not  com- 

mon.  ,  .  . 

CAMPTOLJEMOS  LABEADOEIUS.   Ubrador  Duck.-Rare  winter  visitor. 

MEEGELLUS  ALBELLUS.   Smew. -Very  rare      H'*-<'/««7^f " 
that  was  killed  in  Massachusetts  Bay,  as  I  was  informed ;  and  Mr.  Chas 
W    ILtt,  Jr..  of  Boston,  assures  me  that  he  once  -t  w.  h  one  at 
Point  Shirley,  Mass.    A  straggler  from  the  northern  parts  of  the  Old 

World.  .    ^  ... 

8ULAP1BEB.  Booby.-Entirely  accidental;  but  two  mstance,  of  us 
occurrence,  and  those  not  recent.    A  Southern  species. 

PELECAiniS  FU3CDS.  Brown  Pelic«..  -  Accidental ;  from  th.  South. 
On?y  oneTpecimen  obtained.  Brant  Point.  Nantucket;  others  seen.- 
J.  A.  Allen.  '  „      ^        ,u 

PEIECAHTJS  EEYTHBOBTKCHUS.    A»eri.«.  '""•"V     M  C    X 

in  New  England.      "One  or  two  instances."  Calais,  Me..  -  U.  A. 

Boardman.    Accidental. 

STEECOBAEIIIS  CEPPHU8.     Buffon's  Skua,  LongHaUed  Jager.  -  A  not 

unconunon  fall  and  winter  visitor. 


J 


APPENDIX. 


588 


»nc  or  two  occur- 

n  Dr.  Coues'  list 
uring  its  migra- 

arely,  along  the 

Ixceedmgly    rare 
h,  N.H.,  by  Mr. 

I  given  by  Board- 

IHICA,  Purple  Gal- 

—  Given    in   Dr. 
rinter." 

in  Dr.  Coues'  list 

It." 

Europe.     But  one 

[itunm.    Not  com- 

ire  wint«r  visitor, 
e  seen  a  specimen 
ed  i  and  Mr.  Chas. 
B  met  with  one  at 
1  parts  of  the  Old 

TO  instances  of  its 

9. 

;  from  thp.  South, 
et;  others  seen, — 

Has  been  taken 

lais,  Me.,  —  6.  A. 

led  Jager.  —  A  not 


LABUS  GLAUOnS.  Glaneoiu  GoU.  BnrKomaitsr  Gnll.  — A  very  rare  winter 
visitor. 
LABUS  UUOOFTEBnS.  White-winged  Gull.—  A  rare  winter  visitor. 

LABUS  DELAWABENSIS.  Bing-billed  Gull.  —  Not  uncommon  in  winter. 
Breeds  on  the  coast  of  Maine  raioly. 

STEBNA  AOUTLAVIDA.  Cabot'i  Tern.  —  Accidental ;  from  the  South. 
One  obtained  at  Chatham,  Mass.,  August,  1866,  by  Mr,  Nathaniel 
Vickary. 

STUBHA  FULIGINOSA.  Sooty  Tern.  — Has  been  met  with  on  Muskogee* 
Island,  Mass.,  in  the  breeding  season.     A  southern  species.  . 

STEBNA  PABADISEA.  Boieate  Tern.  —  Summer  visitor  to  southern  por- 
tions of  New  England. 

PBOCELLABIUS  GLACIALIS.  Fntaar Petrel.  —  Given  by  Coues  as  "A 
rare  winter  visitant  along  the  coast." 

THALASIDBOMA  PELAGIC  A.  Stormy  Petrel.  —  Rare  in  winter  off  the 
coast. 

PUFFIHUS  HAJOB.  Greater  Shearwater.  —  Not  uncommon  in  winter  off 
the  coast. 

PUFFUfUS  AHGLOBUM,  Hank's  Shearwater;  and  P.  FULIGIXOSUS,  Sooty 
Shearwater.  —  Are  occasionally  met  with  in  wiuter  off  the  coast. 

HOBMOI  CIBBHATA.  Tufted  Puffin.  —  Very  rare,  and  probably  acci- 
dental ;  in  winter,  on  south-eastern  coast  of  Maine.  A  north  Pacific 
species. 

COLTHBUS  AfiCTICUS.  Blaek-throated  Diver.  —  Is  given  in  several  lists 
as  occurring  in  winter.  Given  in  Putnam's  list  as  "  common  in  young 
plumage  in  winter,  rare  in  adult  plumage."  I  have  never  met  with  an 
undoubted  specimen.  Its  occurrence  in  New  England  must  be  con- 
sidered rare. 

UBIA  ABBA.  Thiok-billed  GuiUemot.  —  Not  uncommon  in  winter. 


1 


xi 


-fiS;.  vyi^fts^uKix'rt^iir"^ 


.M^ 


INDEX  OF  COMMON  NAMES. 


Americ*n  Avotet,  438. 

Bittern,  406. 

Creeper,  190. 
^  Goldfinch,  288. 

Osprey,  66. 

Raven,  866. 

Swan,  480. 

Widgeon,  499. 

Wo<»dcock,  483. 
Ank,  Little,  670. 

Razor-billed,  664. 
Avoiet,  American,  438- 

B. 

Bald  Eagle,  61. 
Baldpate  Duck.  499. 

—  Baltimore  Oriole,  848. 
Barrow's  Golden-eye  Duck,  611. 
Belted  lUngflsber,  136. 

—Bittern,  American,  406. 
_  Least,  408. 

—  Blackbird,  Cow,  889. 

Crow,  863. 

Red-winged,  841. 

Rusty,  860. 
,.  Bluebird,  176. 
,  Blue  Jar,  864. 

Snowbird,  814. 
Bobolink,  886. 
Brant,  486. 

Bull-head  Plover,  418. 
Bunting,  Black-throated,  837. 
^.^untinir.  Cow,  889. 

Henslow's,  806. 
Snow,  396. 
Butcher-bird,  366. 
Buszard  Hawks,  34. 

c. 

Oanada  Flycatcher,  347. 
Goose,  488. 
Grouse,  378. 
Jay,  866,  873. 


Canvns-back  Duck,  607. 
Carolina  Dove,  876. 
^at-bird,  172. 
'  .-Cedar-bird,  266. 

Chat,  Yellow-breasted,  209. 
Chatterer,  Bohemian,  264. 
^hewink,  332. 
-<;hick-a-dee,  183. 
,.€himney  Swallow,  116. 
Coot,  American,  476. 
Butter-billed,  620. 
White-winged,  618. 
Cormorant,  Common,  684. 

Double-crested,  68A. 
-Cow  Blackbird,  330. 
Creeper,  American,  190. 

Black  and  White,  301. 
Crossbill,  Red,  291. 

White-winged,  298. 
Crow  Blackbird,  362. 
Crow,  Common,  867. 
Fish,  868. 
-  "Cuckoo,  Black-billed,  86. 
YeUow-billed,  68. 
Cuckoos,  83. 

Curlew,  Esquimaux,  469. 
Hudsonian,  467. 
Long-billed,  466. 
Short-billed,  467. 
Curlew  Sandpiper,  448. 

D. 


Dipper,  636. 

Diver,  Great  Northern,  665. 

Red-throated,  667. 
Dove,  Carolina,  876. 
Dovekie,670. 
Ducks,  River,  487. 

Sea,  608. 
Duck,  Baldpate,  499. 

Barrow's  GoWen-eye,  611. 

Big  Black-head,  604. 

Black,  28,  489. 

Buffle-head,  614. 

Butter^ball,  614. 

CuiTM-back,  6(i7. 

[685] 


~:  i 


i 


.ill 


INDEX  OF  COMMON  NAMES. 


American  Avoeet,  428. 

Bittern,  405. 

Creeper,  190. 
_  Goldfinch,  288. 

Osprey,  65. 

Raven,  865. 

Swan,  480. 

Widgeon,  499. 

Woodcock,  483. 
Auk,  Litae,  570. 

Razor-billed,  664. 
Avoset,  American,  428- 

B. 

Bald  Eagle,  61. 
Baldpata  Duck.  499. 

—  Baltimore  Oriole,  848. 
Barrow's  Golden-eye  Dack,  611. 
Belted  Kingfisher,  126. 

"^^Bittem,  American,  406. 
_^  Least,  408. 

—  Blackbird,  Cow,  889. 

Crow,  852. 
^  Bed-winged,  841. 

Busty,  8B0. 
^  Bluebird,  176. 
,  Blue  Jay,  864. 

Snowbird,  814. 
BoboUnk,  886. 
Brant,  486. 

Bull-bead  Plover,  418. 
Banting,  Black-throated,  827. 
—^Bunting,  Cow,  889. 

Henslow's,  806. 
Snow,  296. 
Bntcher-bird,  268. 
Buuard  Hawki,  34. 

c. 

Canada  Flycatcher,  247. 
Goose,  488. 
Grouse,  878. 
Jay,  866,  872. 


Canvns-back  Duck,  607. 
Carolina  Dove,  376. 
_X!at-binl,  172. 
"^^edar-bird,  266. 

Chat,  Yellow-breasted,  209. 
Chatterer,  Bohemian,  264. 
U^hewink,  832. 
■^hick-a-dee,  182. 
-Chimney  Swallow,  116. 
Coot,  American,  476. 
Butter-billed,  520. 
White-winged,  618. 
Cormorant,  Common,  634. 

Double-crested,  68ft. 
-Cow  Blackbird,  330. 
Creeper,  American,  190. 

Black  and  White,  201. 
Crossbill,  Red,  291. 

White-winged,  298. 
Crow  Blackbird,  852. 
Crow,  Common,  857. 
Fish,  868. 
-  -Cuckoo,  Black-billed,  86. 
Yellow-billed,  88. 
Cuckoos,  82. 

Curlew,  Esquimaux,  469. 
Hudsonian,  467. 
Long-billed,  466. 
Short-billed,  467. 
Curlew  Sandpiper,  448. 


D. 

Dipper,  626. 

Diver,  Great  Northern,  666. 

Red-throated,  567. 
Dove.  Carolina,  876. 
Dovekie,  670. 
Ducks,  River,  487. 

Sea,  608. 
Dock,  Baldpate,  499. 

Barrow's  GoWen-eye,  611. 

Big  Black-head,  604. 

Black,  28,  489. 

Buffle-head,  614. 

Butter-ball,  514. 

Canvaa-back,  507. 


[685] 


-^1-- 


586 


INDEX  OF  COMMON  NAME8. 


Duck,  Dipper,  B14,  535. 
Dusky,  28,  489. 
Eider,  622. 
Gadwall,  487. 
Golden-«ye,  BU. 
Harlequin,  516. 
King  Eider,  528. 
LitUe  Ulackiead,  506. 
Long-tailed,  516. 
Mallard,  487. 
Old  Wife,  516. 
Pintail,  492. 
.  Red  Head,  606. 
Ruddy,  626. 
Scaup,  604. 
Scoter,  621. 
South  Southerly,  616. 
Spoonbill,  496. 
Sprigtail,  492. 
Summer,  500. 
•  Surf,  520. 
Velvet,  618. 
Whistle-wing,  512. 
Wood,  600. 

E. 

Eagles,  49. 
Eagle,  Bald,  61. 
^^   '  Golden,  «,  81. 
.     Gray,  61. 

Wmte-headad,  61. 

Falcons,  7. 
Finches,  288. 
Finch,  Bay-winged,  808. 
Grass,  808. 
Pine,  290. 
.^  Purple,  285. 

Sea-side,  808. 
Sharp-tailed,  807. 
Flicker,  105. 

Flycatcher,  Acadian,  148. 
Canada,  247. 
Great-created,  181. 
Green-crested^,  143. 
.^  Least,  141. 

OliTe-aided,  185. 
_  Pewee,  188. 

'^  TraUl's,  140. 

Wilson's  Black-cap,  246. 
•«.  Wood  Pewee,  137. 

G. 

Gannet,  Common,  583. 
Godwit,  Hudsomon,  466. 
Marbled,  468. 
^^oldfinch,  American,  288. 
Goosander,  627, 
Goose,  Canada,  488. 


^ 


Goose,  Snow,  482. 
Solan,  582. 
Goshawk,  22. 
Grebe,  Carolina,  502. 
Crested,  560. 
Horned,  661. 
Pied-billed,  562. 
Bed-necked,  569. 
Greenlets,  270. 
Grosbeak,  Pine,  288. 
B  Rose-breasted,  828. 

Ground  Robin,  882. 
GrouM,  Canada,  878.    ' 
Pinnated,  880. 
Ruffed,  888. 
Spruce,  378. 
Gnillemot,  Common,  667. 

Foolish,  668. 
Gull,  Bonaparte's,  648. 

Great  Black-backed,  640. 
Herring,  541. 
Kittiwake,  544. 
Laughing,  642. 

H. 

Harrier,  46,  81. 
Hawk,  Black,  45. 

Broad-wmged,  40,  81. 
Cooper's,  27. 
Duck,  7, 16. 
Fish,  66,  81. 
Gos,  22,  81. 
Great-footed,  7, 18. 
Marsh,  46,  81. 
Night,  122. 
Pigeon,  16,  80. 
Bcil-flhonldcred,  87, 
*  Bed-tailed,  85. 

Bough-legged,  48,  81. 
Sharp-ehinned.  81,  eU 
Sparrow,  19,  80. 
Heron,  Great  Blue,  401. 
Green,  406. 
Night,  409. 
Snowy,  898. 
Hooded  Merganser,  629. 
Hununii>g-b&d,  Ruby-throated,  ill. 


Indigo-bird,  880. 


J. 


Jay,  Blue,  864. 
Canada,  866. 


,      King-bird,  128. 
~    Kingfisher,  Belted,  126. 
Kites,  46. 


INDKX  OF  COMMON  NAMES. 


587 


1,828. 

IT. 

ed,  640. 


40,  81. 


,16. 


d^sr, 

'  48,  81. 
1,  81,  81. 
ii). 
)1. 


28. 
^-tiiKated,  lit. 


m. 


Lapland  Lon^pur,  800. 
'Lark,  Meadow,  343. 

Tit,  200. 
Lesser  Kcdpoll,  294. 
Loon,  Great  Northern,  656. 
Ked-tbroated,  667. 


M. 

Mallard  Dock,  487. 

Marsh  Heii,  471. 
^•Martin,  Purple,  280. 
-  -Maryland  Yellow-throat,  206. 
-Jklcadow  Lark,  343. 

Mealy  Redpoll,  296. 

Merganser,  Ked-breasted,  526. 

Mocking-bird,  167. 

Murre,  668,  670. 


N. 

.,ight  Hawk,  122. 

Notes,  by  William  Couper,  80,  868, 

477,  671. 
Nuthatch,  Red-bellied,  188. 

White-beUied,  187. 

o. 

'Oriole,  Baltimore,  848. 
Orchard,  346. 
08prey,^65. 
-Oven-bird,  218. 
Owls,  60. 

Owl,  Acadian,  75,  81. 
■~         Barred,  73,  81. 

Great  Gray,  72,  81. 
/^        Groat  Homed,  60,  81. 
Hawk,  79,  «. 
iiong-cared,  68,  81. 
Mottled,  64. 
Ked,  64. 

Saw-whet,  75,  81, 
■-";,  Screech,  64. 

ShorVeared,  70,  81. 
Snowy,  77,  8L 
Oyster-catcher,  American,  424. 


P. 

-^-Partridges,  393. 

Passenger  Pigeon,  378. 
^'eep,  447,  460. 
Petrel,  Leach's,  552. 
Wilson's,  568. 
,^ewee,  183. 
"^ewee.  Wood,  187. 
Phalarope.  Northern,  430. 
Pigwn,  Wild,  373. 


Pine  Finch,  290. 

Grosbeak,  283. 
Plover,  Bartram's,  460. 

Black-bellied,  422. 

Field,  460. 

Golden,  418. 

Kill-deer,  416. 

Piping,  421. 

Semipalmated,  419. 

Wilson's,  418. 

Upland,  460. 
Puffin,  Arctic,  666. 
LFurple  Finch,  286. 

Q. 

Qua-bird,  409. 
jLjuail,  Virginia,  898. 


R. 

Bail,  Carolina,  474. 

Clapper,  471. 

Marsh,  471. 

Virginia,  472. 

Yellow,  475. 
Raven,  American,  366. 
Red  Start,  249. 
Redpoll,  Lesser,  294. 
Mea'.'r,  296. 
Rin^-neck,  419. 
L.4iobm,  164. 


s. 

Sanderling,  449. 
Sandpiper,  Bartram's,  460. 

Bonaparte's,  446. 

BuflT-breasted,  462. 

Curlew,  443. 

Gray-back,  440. 

Least,  447,  478. 

Pectoral,  446, 

Purple,  442. 

Red-backed,  444. 

Semipalmated,  460i 

Solitary,  457. 

Spotted,  468. 
■Scarlet  Tannger,  251. 
Sea  Dove,  570. 
Seed-caters,  283. 
Sheldrake,  American,  627. 
Shore  Lark,  280. 
Shoveller  Duck,  496. 
Shrike,  Great  Northern,  2ea. 
Skua-gulls,  537. 
Skua,  Arctic,  588. 

Pomarine,  538. 
Skylarks,  280. 
Snipe,  English,  485. 

Red-breasted,  488. 
Robin,  440. 
Wilson's,  436. 
Snowbird,  814. 


iiiii.a<M' 


688 


INDEX  OF  COMMON  NAMES. 


gnow  BuntinR,  296. 
— fiparrow,  CliippinR,  830,  9H. 
♦  '^  '  Field,  319. 

Fox-colored,  826. 
Savannah,  301. 
Snow,  8U. 
Song,  821. 
Swamp,  823. 
Tree,  817. 

White-crowned,  809. 
Whitc-tliroatcd,  311. 
^  Yellow-winged,  806. 

__^take-driver,  406. 
Surlings,  335. 
Summer  Duck,  600. 
.—Swallow,  Bank,  258. 
_  Barn.  284. 

-*  Chimney,  116. 

■^  Cliff,  256. 

"*•  Eave,  266. 

^^  White-bellied,  267. 

Swan,  American,  480. 


I 


T. 

_  TanaJter,  Scarlet,  251. 
Teal, "Ulue-winBed,  49.1. 

Green-winged,  493. 
Tell-tale,  454. 
Tern,  Arctic,  648. 
Caspian,  646. 
Least,  649. 
Marsh,  645. 
Short-tailed,  650. 
Wilson's,  546. 
„.xThi8tle-bird.  288.  ■ 

JThrasher,  Brown,  168. 
J-hrush,  Brown,  163. 

Golden-crowned,  218. 
Hermit,  148. 
^  Olive-backed,  152. 

-  8on^,146. 

Swameoii  8, 152. 
_^  Tawny,  160. 

■"^  Water,  220. 

Wilson's,  lEO. 
Titlark,  200. 
Titmice,  182. 
.^Titmouse,  Blackcap,  182. 
"^  Hudson's  Bay,  185. 

•-^Towhee  Bunting,  882. 
Turnstone,  426. 
Tyrant  Flycatchers,  128. 

V. 

Virginian  Partridge,  393. 
Vireo,  Blue-headed,  2 1 7. 

Red-eyed,  270. 

SoUtary,  277. 


Vireo,  Warbling,  278. 

White-eyed,  276. 

Yellow-throated,  278. 

w. 

Warblers,  199.t 
Warblers,  Wood,  201. 
Warbler,  Bay-breasted,  228. 
Blackburnian,  227. 
Blackpoll,  233. 
Black-throated  Blue,  224. 
Black-throated  Green,  222. 
—  Black  and  Yellow,  238. 

Blue  Yellow-backed,  208. 
Blue-winged  Yellow,  212. 
Cape  May,  240. 
^  Chestnut-sided,  231. 

Connecticut,  208. 
Golden-winged,  214. 
Hooded,  245. 
Magnolia,  238. 
^  Maryland  Yellow-throat,  206. 

Mourning,  207. 

—  Nashville,  216. 
Oven,  218. 
Pine-creeping,  229. 

<»     Prairie,  241. 

Tennessee,  217. 
Worm-eatmg,  211. 

—  Yellow,  237. 
Yellow  Redpoll,  240. 
YeUow-rumped,  226. 

Whippoorwill,  119. 
Widgeon,  American,  499. 
Willet,  462. 

Woodcock,  American,  432. 
--Wood  Peweci  137. 
Woodpecker,  Banded  Three-toed,  95. 

Black-backed  Three-toed, 
94. 
.m.      Downy,  89. 
_^        Golden-winged,  105. 
—  Hairy,  87. 
Pileated,  99. 
jj  Red-headed,  102. 

•^  '  Yellow-bellied,  96. 

Wren,  Golden-crested,  179. 
House,  195. 

Long-billed  Marsh,  l«l. 

Ruby-crowned,  178. 
_      Shortrbilled  Marsh,  191. 
Winter,  177. 

Y. 

Yellow-bird,  288. 
Yellow-breasted  Chat,  209. 
Yellow-throat,  Maryland,  206. 
Yellow-legs,  Common,  455. 
I  Yellow-legs,  Greater,  464. 


T 


8. 
!T. 

)lue,  224. 
}reen,  222. 
w,  238. 
ked,  203. 
How,  212. 

231. 

i. 

214. 


w-throat,  206. 


129. 


ill. 

1,  240. 
i,  226. 


iree-toed,  96. 
[ed  Three-toed, 


Dged,  106. 

9. 

!d,  103. 
Hied,  86. 
.79. 

8h,  1^. 

178. 
'8b,  194. 


i09. 
id,  206. 
456. 
54. 


INDEX  OF  SCIENTIFIC  NAMES. 


A. 

Accipiter  Cooperii,  27. 

fuscus,  81,  81. 
Actiturus  Bartramius,  460,  478. 
^gialites  melodus,  421. 

semipalmatus,  419,  478. 

vocitt-rus,  415. 

Wilson,  js,  418. 
^giothus  canescens,  205. 

linaria,  294,  871. 
Agela<us  Phccniceus,  841,  373. 
Aix  sponsa,  600,  672. 
Alaudidoe,  280. 
Alca  torda,  564. 
Ammodromus  caudacutua,  807. 
maritimus,  808. 
Ampelig  cedrorura,  286,  871. 
garrulus,  264,  870. 
Anas  boschas,  487,  672. 

obscura,  28,  489,  673. 
Anseres,  479,  480. 
Anser  hyperboreus,  483,  571. 
Anthus  Ludovicianus,  200,  869. 
Antrostomus  vociferus,  119,  868. 
Aquila  Canadensis,  49,  81. 
Archibutco  lagopus,  48,  81. 

Sancti  Johannis,  46. 
Ardea  herodias,  400,  477. 
Ardctta  exilis,  408. 
Astur  atricapillus,  22,  81. 
Aytbya  Americana,  606,  572. 
vallisneria,  607. 


B. 

Bernicia  Canadensis,  488,  671. 

brenta,  485. 
Bonasa  umbellus,  ?88,  396. 
Botaurus  lentiginosus,  405,  477. 
Bruchyotus  Cassinii,  70. 
Bubo  Virgiiiianus,  60,  81. 
Bucephala  albeola,  514,  672. 

Americana,  512,  672. 
islandica,  511,  672. 
Buteo  borealis,  85. 
lineatus,  87. 
Pennsylvanicus,  40,  81. 
Butorides  virescens,  406. 


Calidris  arenaria,  449,  478. 
Carpodacus  purpureus,  286,  871. 
Certhia  Americana,  100,  871. 
Cerjle  alcyon,  125,  869. 
Chteturu  pclasgia.  116,  868. 
Charadrius  Virginicus,  413,  478. 
Chuulelaamus  streperus,  497. 
Chordciles  popetue,  122,  868. 
Chroicocephalus  atricilla,  642. 

Philadelphia,  543,  578 
Chrj'somitris  pinus,  290,  871. 
tristis,  290,  871. 
Circus  Hudsonius,  46,  81. 
Cistothorus  palustris,  192. 
stellaris,  194. 
Clamatores,  6, 126. 
Coccygus  Americanus,  88. 

erythrophthalmus,  86. 
Colaptes  auratus,  105. 
Collyrio  borealis,  208,  871. 
Colymbus  septentrionalis,  557. 
torqiiatus,  666,  678. 
Contopus  borealis,  186. 

virens,  137,  369. 
Corvus  Americanus,  867,  872. 
carniivorus,  356,  372. 
ossifragus,  368. 
Cotumiculus  Ilenslowi,  306. 
passerinus,  806. 
Cotyle  riparia,  258,  870. 
Cupidonia  (Jupido,  380. 
Curvirostra  Americana,  291,  871. 
leucoptera,  293,  371. 
Cyanospiza  cyanea,  330,  372. 
Cyanurus  cristatus,  864,  872. 
Cygnus  Americanus,  480. 


D. 

Dafila  acuta,  492,  672. 
Dendroica  testiva,  287,  370. 

Blackburniee,  227,  869. 

Canadensis,  224,  360. 

castanea,  ?'.J8,  370. 

coronata,  226,  369. 

discolor,  241. 

maculosa,  288,  870. 

[689] 


mitiiS^iiiiWSmMMmM 


690 


INDEX  OP  SCIENTIFIC  NAMES. 


Dendroica  palmanim,  240. 

Pennsylvanics,  281,  870. 
pinuK,  229,  870. 
Striata,  233,  870. 
tiijrina,  240. 
vircns,  222,  869. 

E. 

Ectopisteg  miffratoria,  878,  898. 
Empidonax  Acadicun,  148. 

minimus,  141. 

Traillil,  140. 
Kremophila  cornufa,  280,  871. 
Ereunetcs  pctritlcafiig,  450,  478. 
Erismatura  rubida,  R25. 
Euspiza  Americana,  827. 

F. 

Falco  anaturo,  7. 
Fulica  Americana,  478,  478. 
Fulix  affinis,  505,  672. 
mania,  604,  672. 

Q. 

Oaleogcoptes  Carolinensis,  172. 
Gallinago  WiUonii,  436,  478. 
Gambetta  flavipcs,  466,  478. 

mtlanoleuca,  454,  478. 
Garzetta  candidissinia,  898. 
Gcothlypis  Philadelphia,  207. 
trichas,  206,  869. 
Grallatores,  6,  897. 
Graculus  carbo,  684. 

dilophus,  635. 
Guiraca  Ludoviciana,  828,  872. 

H. 

HcmatopuB  palliatus,  424. 
Halijetus  leucocephalus,  61. 
Harelda  glacialis,  518,  672. 
Harporhvnchus  rufus,  188. 
Helminttophaga  chrygoptera,  214. 
peregnna,  217. 
pinus,  212. 
ruflcapllla,  316. 
Helmithcnu  vermivorus,  211. 
Hirundo  bicolor,  257,  870. 

horreorum,  264,  870. 
lunifrons,  254,  370. 
Histrionicus  torqiiatus,  515,  672. 
Hydrochelidon  plumbea,  560. 
Hylatomus  pileatus,  99. 
Hypotriorchia  colunibariua,  16,  80. 


Icteria  viridis,  209. 
Icterus  Baltimore,  848. 


Icterlua  »puriu»,  849. 
Insesgores,  106. 

J. 

Junco  hyemalis,  814,  871. 


L. 

LwruB  argentatug,  641,  672. 

marinug,  540. 
Limoga  fcdon,  463. 

Hudsouica,  465. 
Lophodyte*  cucuUatug,  620,  672. 

M. 

Macrorhamphug  grlseus,  488,  478. 
Mareca  Americana,  499,  672. 
Melanerpcs  crj'tliroceplialug,  102. 
Melanetta  velvetina,  518. 
Melospiza  melodia,  321,  372. 
palustris,  823,  872. 
Mergug  Americanus,  527,  572. 

gcrrator,  520,  572. 
Mergulug  alle,  570. 
Hrfraug  polyglottug,  167. 
Mniotilta  varia,  201,  369. 
Molothrus  pecoris,  839. 
Mormon  arctita,  666. 
Myiarchus  crinitus,  181. 
Myiodioctes  Canadensis,  247. 

mitratus,  245. 

piuillus,  246. 

N. 

Natatores.  6,  479. 

Nctlion  Carolinensig,  498,  672. 

Numeniua  borealis,  469,  478. 

Hudsonius,  467,  478. 
longirostrig,  466. 
Nyctde  Aeadica,  76,  81. 

Richardsonii,  75,  81. 
>'%'ctea  nivea,  77,  81. 
yctiardea  gardeni,  409,  477. 

o. 

Oidemia  Americana,  621. 
Oporomis  agilis,  208. 
Ortyx  Virgmianus,  898. 
Oscmes,  6,  145. 
Otus  Wilsouianug,  68,  81. 

P. 

Pandion  Carolinensig,  56,  81. 
Panda  Americana,  208. 
Parus  atricapillus,  182,  371. 
»      Hudsonieus,  186,  371. 
Passerculus  Savanna,  801. 
I   Pasgerella  Uiaca,  823,  872. 


INDEX   OP  SCIENTIFIC  NAMES. 


C91 


Pellonetta  perspicillata,  620,  BM. 
PeriiKireus  L'lmnciuiiHis,  360  371. 
PhiilarnpuB  liyiwrboreus,  *30,  478. 
Philohcla  minor,  483,  478. 
Picuides  arcticiin,  94. 
hirnutug,  96. 
Picui  pubescens,  89. 

villoKUA,  87. 
Pinicola  Canailvnsin,  288,  871. 
Pipilo  ervtIiroplithalmuR,  3.32. 
Plectroplianea  lapponicun,  800. 
nivalis,  290,  871. 
Podicepa  cornutun,  561. 

criatatus,  660. 

grigei^cna,  669. 
Podilymbus  podiceps,  663. 
PooctBtcs  p-ainincuB,  303,  371. 
Purzana  Carolina,  474,  478. 

Noveboraccnsia,  476,  478. 
Progne  purpurea,  260,  370. 
Pyranga  rubra,  261,  870. 


anerquedula  discora,  495. 
uiscalus  versicolor,  362,  873. 


Ballos  crepitans,  471. 

elegann,  471. 

Virginianui,  472,  478. 
Raptores,  4,  6. 
Rasores,  6,  878. 
Kecurvirostra  Americ»»ia,  428. 
Regulus  calendula,  178,  869. 

satrapa,  179^  369. 
Bhyacophiluji  Bolitanug,  467,  478. 
Bisga  tridactyla,  644. 

s. 

Sayomis  ftiRcna,  188. 

Scansores,  4,  82. 

Scolecophagus  fermginens,  860,  873. 

Scopg  agio,  64. 

Seiurus  aurocapillus,  218,  869. 

Noveboraccnsis,  220. 
Setophaga  ruticilla,  249,  870. 
Sialia  siulii),  176,  369. 
Bitta  Canadensis,  188,  871. 

Carolinensis,  187. 
Somateria  mollissima,  622,  672. 

spectabilis,  623. 
Spatula  c'.;,  (leala,  496,  672. 
Sphyrapicus  varius,  96. 
Spizella  monticola,  317,  871. 

pusilla,  319,  371. 

socialis,  320,  371. 
SquaUrola  Helvetica,  422,  478. 


Sten-orgrius  par«iiiti''up,  68». 
pomarinus,  688, 
Sterna  aranea,  646. 

Caopia,  549. 

fVcnata,  649. 

macrnura,  648. 

WiLwnii,  646,  673. 
Strepsilag  interprcs,  426,  478. 
StflKores,  4,  110. 
Sturnvlla  magna,  343. 
Sula  basfinna,  632. 
Surnia  ulula,  70,  81. 
Symphemla  semipalmata,  462. 
Symium  cinereum,  72,  81. 
nebulosum,  73,  81. 


T. 

Tetrao  Canadensis,  878,  896. 
Thali'      Iroma  Leachii,  652. 

Wilsonii,  568. 
Tinnui       us  sparvcrius.  19,  80. 
Tringa      |iina,  var.  Americana,  444. 

iiunapartii,  446. 

canutug,  440,  478. 

maculata,  478. 

maritima,  442,  478. 

gubarquata,  443. 

Wilsonii,  447,  478. 
Tringoideg  macularius,  468,  478. 
Trocliilus  colubris,  111,  308. 
Troglodyteg  sedon,  196. 

hyemalis,  197,  871. 
Tryngites  rufeacens,  462. 
Tunlug  fuscescens,  150,  369. 

niigratorius,  154. 

mustclinus,  146. 

Pallasii,  148,  369. 

Swainsonii,  152. 
Tyrannua  Carolinensig,  128,  869. 


u. 

Una  (Cylle,  667. 

lomvia,  668,  678. 
ringvia,  670. 


Vireo  flavlfrons,  278. 
gilvus,  273. 
Noveboracensis,  276. 
olivaceus,  270,  871. 
solitarius,  277. 


z. 

Zenaidura  Carolinensis,  375,  896. 
Zonotrichia  albicollig,  311,  371. 
leucophryg,  809,  871. 


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